Rumours
by smithandbarrowman
Summary: What happens when a drinking game between friends becomes a discovery of lies and stretched truths?
1. Chapter 1

"Hurry up Weasley!" Pansy cried, "How hard is it to ask stupid question?"

Ron screwed his face up and gripped his hair as if in pain, "Just give me a second." He almost whined.

"You have thirty seconds, or you forfeit." Blaise told him.

It was New Years Eve, and a small group had gathered in the Heads' Dorm. They were a part of the handful of students who had decided to return to Hogwarts after the war to finish their studies. Hermione had been named Head Girl, to no one's surprise. However, when Draco Malfoy had been named Head Boy, the entire student body had been shocked, including himself. Professor McGonagall, now Hogwarts Headmistress, had explained to anyone who dared to question the faculties decision, that while the war had shown a side of Draco that was less than desirable, he had in fact not been acting of his own free will, and on top of that, his record as a student was exemplary, second only to Hermione herself.

The first two weeks had been uncomfortable to say the least, the two rivals barely acknowledging each others' presence, except for their Head Girl and Boy duties. However, as the weeks progressed, the two discovered they had more in common than they both realised. Their conversations had become easier and the two had slowly become friends, which was something that neither though possible.

Pansy and Blaise, seeing them together, had also put aside their differences, along with Harry, Ron and Ginny. The war was over, and the realisation that no one really ever wins, hit them all hard. Also, since attendance at Hogwarts was only seven years, the eighth year students had thrown a spanner in the works, forcing the faculty to find a place for them. The solution they had come up with was a united house, and all the eighth year students would spend their final year together. The students who survived the war and returned to complete their studies had been reluctant at first, but finally seeing the scars they all had, inside and out, they banded together.

The first few weeks had been rough, the school had been repaired, but the ghosts of their lost classmates and professors remained. Harry and Draco had spent a lot of time in the Shrieking Shack; Ginny and Ron avoided the hallway where Fred had lost his life and Hermione threw herself into her studies, pretty much avoiding everyone and everything.

But when December had arrived, the castle came to life, cheering everyone. Decorations hung from every vantage point, trees were dressed and spread throughout the castle, the main dining hall tinkled with stars and snowed constantly. Smiling faces were everywhere.

Harry, Hermione and Draco had chosen to stay for Christmas, along with a handful of students throughout the school. None had family to go home to; Hermione's parents were in Australia, the _obliviate_ charm had been too strong to recover their memories; Draco's parents had been locked up in Azkaban, his father for the remainder of his life, his mother for 3 years. And Harry, well, Hogwarts had always felt like home.

Ron and Ginny had returned the day after Boxing Day. Christmas had been miserable since it was the first without Fred. Pansy and Blaise had returned the day after that.

And that was how the seven former rivals found themselves in the Head's Common Room, on New Years' Eve, playing a stupid drinking game that was slowly turning them all into a drunken stupor.

"...Eight, seven, six..." Blaise was counting down, waiting for Ron's question.

"Argh!" Ron growled in frustration.

"...Five, four, three..." Blaise continued.

Ron looked panicked, "Never have I ever had sex!" The words fell from his mouth all at once.

"Really Ron?" Harry drawled, "That's the best you could come up with?"

The others laughed, but Hermione noticed Draco was staring at the glass on the coffee table, his face had gone pale. Blaise caught her eye and she instantly knew.

 _Oh fuck!_ She thought, _Harry is so very wrong_. That was actually the worst possible question Ron could have asked. And there was no way out of it. They had charmed the glasses so no one could cheat.

The others hadn't noticed yet, they were too busy razzing Ron over what they thought to be the dumbest question anyone in the room could possibly ask. No one here was a virgin, right?

The rumours surrounding Draco were legendary. His sexual prowess was the subject of many a conversation of the female students (and some of the males, truth be told). The Slytherin Sex God he had been labelled, but judging by the expression on his face, that's all the rumours were: rumours.

Hermione glanced back at Blaise, shooting him a questioning look. Blaise shook his head answering her unspoken question. The circle of shot glasses filled themselves, a clear liquid this time, which Hermione assumed was vodka or gin. Harry, Ginny, Ron and Pansy all grabbed their glasses, still laughing, and threw them back, slamming the empties on the table in unison. Hermione and Blaise both tried to resist, but the pull of the charm was too strong. They both reached out and followed suit, grabbing their glasses, swallowing the liquid (definitely vodka) and slamming them back on the table.

Draco hadn't moved. And the others finally realised. Harry looked about to say something, but Blaise shot him a look that said _shut up._ Ginny and Pansy both looked stunned, and Ron, whose tolerance for alcohol was reasonably low, completely missed the silent conversation that was taking place around him.

"Come on Malfoy, drink up!' He said cheerfully and Harry punched his arm, "Oww, what was that for?"

Draco shifted in his seat, moving to stand, "I forfeit," he said quietly before leaving the common room and heading up the stairs. His bedroom door slammed, making them all jump.

"What crawled up Malfoy's arse?" Ron asked, before finally realising Draco's glass was still full, "Merlins Balls! No fucking way!"

"Shut up Ron." Pansy hissed at him and then looked at Blaise, "Did you know? You said it was all true."

"Yeah, I knew," Blaise nodded, "We made it up."

""But..." Pansy was stunned, "But girls talk about him all the time."

Blaise grimaced, "Have you ever heard any of them say they _actually_ had sex with him?"

Pansy frowned and then looked at Ginny and Hermione, both of them shook their heads. Neither had heard of anyone who had had sex with Malfoy, only the rumours. "Fuck," Pansy said in a low voice the realisation hitting like a freight train, "No one said they didn't have sex with him, we all just assumed."

"Fucking liar," Ron said gleefully, "I knew he was full of shit, fucking Sex God, my arse. The bastard taunted us for years, it'll be fun to get back at him."

The others didn't have a chance. Hermione was in front of him, her hand around his throat. Ron yelped, and fell backwards onto the sofa. Pansy and Ginny, who were sitting either side of him leapt out of the way. Hermione in full flight was not someone to be messed with.

"Shut your fucking mouth Ronald Weasley." She snarled at him. She had harboured feelings for Ron for most of their school years, and during the final battle, they'd kissed. And then they had spent the next month trying to tell each other that it was like kissing a sibling, until Hermione had finally had had enough and confronted Ron. He had sighed with relief and they had agreed that they were better as friends.

But right now, she was furious at him.

"What the fuck Hermione?" Ron bellowed.

She spun around, grabbing her wand, and aiming it at him. He yelped again and launched himself off the sofa, tumbling behind it with a loud _thump_ onto the floor. His head popped up slightly, eyeing Hermione behind the cover of the high sofa back. It would have been comical, if the current situation wasn't so tense.

"I told you to shut your mouth Ronald." She repeated and Blaise moved to stand behind her, not sure of what she was actually going to do, but ready to grab her if she actually tried to hex him.

"Come on Hermione," Ron squeaked, "It's just a bit of fun. I mean all these years, the stories and rumours, and none of its true. It's funny, don't you think."

"No I don't think. And you don't have any right to make fun of him." Hermione snapped, "You want to taunt him about being a Death Eater, or about his father, go for it. But this is off limits."

Ron opened his mouth to respond, but ducked down quickly when she raised her wand at him, "But it's not true. None of it. Come on, we could have some fun with this." His voice was muffled by the sofa.

This time Hermione didn't get the chance, Ginny grabbed him and pulled him up, and slapped his face, "How 'bout we start some rumours about you?"

"Ginny, oww, what was that for?" Ron rubbed at his cheek, "What rumours about me?"

Ginny smirked at him, "Girls talk Ron, and when girls talk, unlike guys, they tell the truth."

Ron frowned at her, "Girls talk? What?" Hermione punched his arm, "Stop hitting me!" he yelled.

"Ginny's right, girls do talk Ronald," Hermione agreed with Ginny, "Girls tell each other everything. And you know who has the biggest mouth in the school?" Ron shook his head, "Your friend Lavender. I believe she used the phrase _Minute Man._ "

Ron's frown increased, a deep crease on his forehead, "Minute Man. What?"

Ginny laughed, "Think about it brother."

Suddenly Ron's eyes went wide, his face a deep shade of red, "She said that!?"

'Yep," Pansy told him, "She gave us every little detail."

"But it's not true!" Ron exclaimed, "Maybe the first time, but not-"

"Stop talking," Ginny said, her face screwed up, not wanting to know about her brother's sex life.

Blaise threw his head back and laughed, "Minute Man! That's not the story you told us Weasley. Wait til the other guys hear this!" he chortled and then choked on his laugh when Hermione rounded on him.

"No, you don't get to make fun either." She told him and then pinned him with a glare, "I know secrets about you too Zabini, I mean, the noise coming from the alcove near the dungeons a few weeks ago..." she trailed off.

"You saw?" he hissed at her.

"No," she shot back, "But I heard. And I'm sure you don't want that little snippet of information out."

Hermione had been patrolling the halls the week before Christmas break. On her final sweep of the school, she ventured down to the dungeons, and to the large alcove that was a known hiding place for those in an amorous mood. She'd stopped short at the two voices she'd heard, slightly taken aback. One voice was that of Blaise Zabini, the tall, dark skinned Slytherin that she had begun to call her friend. But it was the other voice that had surprised her. Graham Montague, the former Slytherin Quiddich captain. And the two were most definitely not discussing Quiddich.

Blaise narrowed his eyes at her, "Granger," he snarled. "If you say-"

"You have my word." She told him, "And just so you know, I don't care. It doesn't change anything."

The others were watching the two of the like they were watching a tennis match. "If you're talking about Graham, all of us know about that." Harry said, "And Hermione's right, we don't care. Fuck who you want."

Ron's eyes went wide, "You and Montague? You're gay?"

Harry punched Ron's shoulder, and then looked at Blaise, "Sorry. I _thought_ we all knew."

"That's okay Potter," Blaise said, his smile returning, "I've heard you and junior Weasley in that alcove more than once."

Harry's face flushed pink, Ginny just rolled her eyes.

"Junior Weasley? Harry what's he talking-" Ron looked between his best friend and sister, scrunching his face up, "Have you been...have you been fucking my sister!?"

"Yes, Ron. That's exactly what we've been doing," Ginny drawled, "What the hell did you think we were doing?"

"I didn't _want_ to think about it," Ron looked disgusted, "I mean, Merlin! You're my sister, and fuck, if mum finds out."

"She won't!" Hermione yelled, "No one will, because this," she waved a hand at all of them, "Stays right here. All our secrets, stay in this room." She glared at them all, "Because if any of you say a word about Draco, the entire school will find out all your secrets from me, I promise you that."

She looked at Pansy and grinned, "Except you Pans. You don't give shit, so I've got nothing on you."

Pansy grinned, "She's right folks, I don't give a shit what anyone says about me, but Draco is my friend, and if any of you feel the need to spread Draco's story, actually any of these stories, Hermione won't get a chance. I'll come at you like lightening."

"And what about you Hermione" Ron dared, "What if a rumour started about you?"

Ginny shook her head. "And what rumour would that be?"

He glanced around the room, searching his friends faces for an answer, "Ah-ha!...Krum!" he said triumphantly.

"Really?" Ginny said rolling her eyes, "Krum? Everyone knows about Krum, you idiot!"

"Party's over," Hermione snapped, "Get out. All of you."

They all held their hands up in defeat, "Fine, not a word." Harry said, backing away.

"Ronald," Hermione's voice was low, and slightly terrifying, "I mean it. If you utter one word, the entire school will be calling you _Minute Man,_ before you can say _Draco's a virgin._ "

Ron nodded, his face completely sincere, "Hermione, come on. I gave you my word. I promised I won't say anything, and I won't"

Hermione nodded, knowing that while Ron was a sometimes a complete douche, he was a genuinely good guy, and he was right, his word was good. Pansy and Blaise stayed put as the three former Gryffindors left and headed for the eighth year dorm.

"Do you think he's okay?" Pansy asked and then held her palms up, "I know, stupid question."

"I'll go talk to him." Blaise said, but Hermione stopped him.

"No, let me." She said, "You're his friend, both of you are, so he needs someone he can be angry at. And who better than me?"

"You sure?' Pansy asked, "He's pretty mean when he's mad."

"I've experienced it." Hermione reminded her, "I'll be fine. Go."

She watched as they left, both of them telling her to yell if she needed help. She reassured them that she would, and then turned towards the staircase. How long had he been up there while they'd been arguing? Ten minutes? Twenty? She'd lost track of time. But she was sure it had been plenty long enough for his defences to be up, protecting himself from something he couldn't control.

She stood at the bottom of the stairs, taking a deep breath, steeling herself. What the fuck would she say to him? Would he even listen? She took each step slowly, psyching herself up. She'd dealt with angry, spoiled, sullen Draco for all of her teenage years. She'd survived that, and she was sure she could survive this.

She stopped at his door and knocked gently, "Draco?" she called, but was met with stony silence. She knocked again with the same outcome. She turned the handle, and entered his room. "Draco?"

He was standing by the window, his back to her, staring out. His shoulders were tense, his back rigid. "Come to gloat, Granger?" his voice was terse, his back remaining towards her as he spat the words out.

"Draco, no," she said quietly, "I would never."

"I imagine Potter and Weasley have announced it to the entire world by now." She saw his jaw clench, and she touched his arm, causing him to flinch.

"They won't tell a soul," she assured him, "No one will know."

He finally turned to her, his face drawn into a familiar sneer, "What do you think, Granger? Will you use this against me?'

She stepped up and poked him in the chest, "Stop being a spoiled brat." She snapped, "You know damned well I would never do that."

He took a step back, his face startled, "Did you just poke me in the chest?"

Hermione couldn't stop the laugh from bubbling out of her throat, "I believe I did." She watched as he rubbed his chest, his face still concerned.

"Draco, they won't say anything. They've been..." she paused, "Threatened. Harry and Ginny will deal with her mothers' wrath, and Ron's nick name will be Minute Man, if they do."

Draco sniggered, "Minute man?"

"That's a freebie," she told him, "But you don't get to use it. They don't get to, so you don't." He nodded and she smiled, "Now, did you want to talk about this?" she asked him.

He took a breath, exhaling deeply through his nose. He sat on the edge of his bed, and looked at her. "There's nothing to talk about."

She sat beside him and asked tentatively, "How did the rumours start?"

He shrugged a shoulder, "Blaise and I made up a story when I was fifteen, and thought it would be funny to see just how quickly it would spread. We didn't think anything of it until Pansy came to us a few weeks later, batting her eyes at me," He laughed at the memory, "I asked what the hell was wrong with her, and she said she wanted to know just good the Slytherin Sex god actually was in bed."

"Pansy hit on you?" Hermione could barely contain her grin.

"She did," he replied then added, "She did say she was just mucking around and that she just wanted to get a rise out of me, assuming that Blaise and I made the whole thing up. But we denied everything, and she actually believed us. She didn't hit on me again. We've been friends way to long for anything to happen between us. It'd be like doing your sister." He smirked at Hermione. He'd had the 'what-happened-with-she-and-Weasley' conversation and knew that was why they didn't amount to anything.

Hermione punched his arm, "Smart arse," she chided, "I just don't get it though."

"Get what?" he asked.

"Well, the way the rumours flew around, I figured most girls would have been throwing themselves at you. I'm sure you could have had your pick."

"Who says I didn't?" he gave her a rueful look.

"So why.."?

"Why didn't I sleep with any of them?" he asked and she nodded, "Well, we'd done too good a job of the rumours. And well, I, uh...didn't want to...fall short, as it were."

"That makes sense, I guess," she took his hand in hers, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," He nodded, not taking his eyes off their linked hands and squeezing gently, "How did we become friends?"

"War will do that to you," she said, "And McGonagall didn't really give us much choice."

"I guess that's it." He was still looking at their hands.

"It's okay, you know." She said quietly.

He glanced up at her, "What is?"

She gave him a small smile, "Being a virgin. It's okay."

"Easy for you to say, since you're not. And if the rumours I hear are true, you haven't been for a while."

"What rumours are those?" she asked.

"Krum. Fourth year Yule Ball." Draco said, "And apparently there have been several others."

"Oh," she huffed out a breath, "Those rumours."

"Are they true?" he asked, looking back at their hands.

"They are." She said simply, "Does it make you think any less of me?"

He shook his head, "Of course not. Why would it?"

"See, it doesn't matter," She pointed out, "It doesn't change who you are. Draco, look at me." He lifted his head, almost reluctantly, and found her smiling at him, "It doesn't change who you are." She repeated and then shocked him by leaning in and kissing him.

Her scent was all around him, her lips soft and hard at the same time. Her hand rose to cup his jaw, her thumb sliding across his cheek. He began to kiss her back, before yelping and jumping up.

"What the hell Granger!" he yelled, "What are you doing?"

She frowned at him, "Kissing you."

"I didn't fucking ask you to." He snapped at her, "You think you can come in here and be all nice and friendly and then fuck me, just so you can tell the world you were the first to bag Draco Malfoy!?"

Hermione stood up, and stalked the few steps over to him, and punched his arm, "No you fucking dim-witted twat. I came in here to see if you were okay. I came in here because I care. I kissed you because I _wanted_ to kiss you. I kissed you because I've wanted to kiss you for a long time now. And in case you haven't noticed, I don't give a shit. Not about the Sex God rumours, or your virgin status. I just wanted to kiss you."

Draco was stunned. Hermione Granger had kissed him, had _wanted_ to kiss him. His brain was struggling to process this information, "But why?" he stammered.

Her eyes were still on fire, blazing into him, sending a not unpleasant shiver through his body, "Because I like you, you idiot." She said, then her voice softened, "But if you don't want me to..."

He took a deep breath, his brow creasing as he considered what she was saying. She liked him. She wanted to kiss him. But if he didn't want to, apparently that would be fine.

"Hermione, I.." he stopped, not knowing what to say. He wanted her, not because she was here and it would be easy to say yes and just fuck her and get it over with. But he wanted her in every sense of the word. She had managed to crawl under his skin, she made him laugh, and she frustrated the hell out of him. He just hadn't realised just how much her cared for her, until now.

"Draco," she broke into his thoughts, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to...I'm sorry." She turned to leave, but he grabbed her arm.

"Hermione, don't go. Please stay. I want you to."

She turned to face him, "Draco, we don't have to do anything. If you're not ready...I don't want you to regret anything."

He stepped closer, not daring to touch her, not sure how to touch her, "Hermione, I want this, I just don't..." he closed his eyes and huffed out a breath. He felt her hand cup his jaw and he leaned into the caress. Her hand was warm and soft, gentle against his skin.

"Draco we don't have to do anything you don't want to. I don't care. I'll wait for you." She reassured him.

He opened his eyes and smiled at her, "Aren't I supposed to be saying that? I'm the guy after all."

Hermione laughed, "There's no right or wrong here. You can take all the time you need."

He leaned in, his face just a breath away from hers, "Stop being so nice to me." He growled before his mouth descended on hers.

His kiss surprised her. She had expected him to be tentative, nervous, but this was sure and commanding. His arms wrapped around her waist and she arched into him, her own arms wrapping around his neck. His tongue slid along her lips and she opened her mouth allowing his tongue to slowly slide along hers. He tasted of apples and whiskey, and her nostrils were filled with the distinct scent that was all Draco Malfoy; musky and masculine, sandalwood and spice. A slow, sensual burn rose low in her belly, spreading through her and finding its way to her core.

She pulled away, not actually wanting to, but her need to breathe outweighed her other senses. He leaned his forehead against hers, breathing hard. "Where did you learn that?" she whispered.

"I said virgin, Granger. I didn't say innocent." His voice was husky and rugged, his chest heavy as it rose and fell.

Hermione looked up at him, trailing her fingers across his forehead, tracing his jaw line, and brushing gently over his lips, "That was perfect."

He ran his hand down her spine, drawing a shiver from her, goose bumps raising on her skin, "Can I see you?" he asked, the lack of innocence of his kiss was unable to hide the nervousness in his question.

She stepped back without a word, gripping the hem of her t-shirt and pulling it slowly up her body. Draco held his breath, watching as inch by inch her skin was revealed. She lifted the fabric over her head, and tossed it across the room. Her hands went to her jeans, pulling the button open and tugging the zipper down. She pushed them down her legs, and kicked them from her feet, and stood before him, her pale pink lacy bra and matching knickers had his breath catching.

His hands flew to his own jeans, but she stepped forward, stopping him, "Not so fast," she told him and nodded to the bed, "Sit down."

He frowned at her, but complied, sitting on the edge of his bed, his bare feet planted on the floor. She leaned down and tugged his t-shirt off, rumpling his hair as she pulled it over his head.

"I thought you said slow down."

"That's all I'm taking off you for now," she said, "We're not going to rush this."

She moved over him, placing one knee either side of his hips, leaning back on his thighs so she wasn't pressed up against him. She knew he'd be aroused, _shit,_ she was aroused, more so than she'd ever been before. But she knew she needed to go slow. She wouldn't rush this with him.

She thought back to her first time with Krum. He had been patient and slow, taking his time and allowing her to guide them. He had known she had been a virgin, and had said the same thing to her, _they wouldn't rush._ So she would afford Draco the same luxury.

Draco placed his hands on her thighs, slowly rubbing along her warm skin. She leaned back and gripped his knees, allowing him to explore her. His hands moved from her thighs, gliding across her flat stomach, feeling the ridges of her hips. He moved around her hips, his hands hesitating slightly before stroking across her lace covered arse. She closed her eyes and sighed, sending a jolt of pleasure through him. He pulled his hands back across her hips, dragging them along the insides of her thighs, before stopping at her knees.

Her head flopped back and she moaned quietly, "Keep doing that," she murmured, "Your hands feel amazing."

He repeated the movement, circling her in a figure eight of sorts; along her thighs, across her stomach to her hips, down along the curve of her arse and back to her thighs. He peered down at the place between her thighs, seeing the lace that covered her becoming damp. His cock strained against his jeans, wanting to be inside her. But he knew if he was inside her right now, it would be over in seconds. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply.

Hermione opened her eyes when his hands stopped, and saw the strain on his face. His eyes were closed, trying to regain his composure. She shifted her hands, running her fingertips along his abs, feeling the muscles bunch as he clenched at her touch.

"Draco," she whispered, "Look at me." He opened his eyes slowly to find her smiling down at him, "Why did you stop?"

"Hermione, you're stunning," he breathed, "It's too much."

She brushed a hand across his cheek, "Did you want to stop?"

"Fuck no!" He blurted out, his face turning pink.

She laughed, "Good, because neither do I." She reached back and unclasped her bra, sliding it down her arms, revealing herself to him.

Draco sucked in a breath at the sight, swallowing thickly. Her breasts were round and larger than he would have thought, but he instinctively knew they would fit in his hands perfectly. Her nipples were pink and erect, and he realised she was as aroused as he was. He reached his hand up slowly, cupping her gently, feeling the weight of her perfect breast in his hand. He brushed his thumb over her nipple, eliciting a small moan from her, the tiny sound surged in his groin, his already hard shaft growing uncomfortably harder against the prison of his jeans. He shifted his free hand to her lower back, pulling her forward and taking her nipple into his mouth.

"Draco, fuck!" she cried as he sucked hard, sliding his tongue around her areola, and flicking across her nipple, his actions belying his inexperience. He surprised her yet again by lifting her and tossing her onto the bed.

"You sure you haven't done this before?" she asked with a laugh.

He laughed with her, "One hundred percent certain." He told her standing and pulling his jeans off and she couldn't help but notice the sizable bulge straining against his tight fitting boxer briefs. He climbed back on to the bed, and lay beside her. He took her nipple back into his mouth, and she slid her hand though his hair, arching against him. His hand slid up to cup her other breast, squeezing gently and then pinching her nipple. She gasped and he pulled his hand away.

"Sorry," he said, lifting his mouth from her breast.

She took his hand and placed on her breast, "Keep going," she told him, "You didn't hurt me."

"Are you sure?"

She cupped his jaw, "Draco, you didn't hurt me. Quite the opposite."

He looked down at his hand on her breast, and squeezed again. He watched her face change, a look of sheer pleasure washing over her. His hand moved lower, skimming the waistband of her knickers. She dragged her teeth across her bottom lip wondering how far he would go. Her breath quickened as his fingers stroked over her, a light touch that almost tickled. Then almost as quick as he had touched her his hand was back on her stomach.

She whispered his name and he glanced up at her, "Can I take them off?" he asked quietly.

Hermione nodded and watched as he slowly pulled the lace down her hips. She lifted herself off the mattress, enabling him to divest her of her knickers. He dragged them down her legs and dropped them to the floor, and looked back nervously at her.

She was completely naked. He let that sink in. Hermione Granger was naked on his bed. He said it a few times inside his head to assure himself that this was real. He locked his eyes on hers and pressed a hand hesitantly to her calf, lightly grazing her skin. She grasped his shoulder and shuddered at his touch. He moved slowly upwards, hid hand coming to rest at the juncture of her thigh and hip. He finally allowed himself to look at her. She was exquisite. Her skin was smooth and the light tan from the summer months was still slightly visible. He bit his lip when he noticed several small scars marring her honey coloured skin, no doubt put there during the war.

He finally dared to drop his eyes lower and discovered that save for a tiny patch of dark hair at the top of her slit, she was bare. He swallowed hard, wanting to touch her, but his nerves held his hand in place.

"Draco," Hermione's voice was quiet and soothing, "Please touch me."

She spread her legs as wide as she could, but since he was pressed against her side her knee came to rest on his hip. The movement caused his hand to slip of her hip, and he found himself within millimetres of her core. He was still wearing his boxer briefs, and said a silent prayer of thanks to Merlin, as he was sure he would have come all over her at the sight before him.

"Hermione, I don't..." he choked out, not exactly sure of what he needed to do. He'd read books, studied pictures, but nothing could have prepared him for the reality of the situation. He could see she was wet and the scent of her arousal filled his senses, a heady aroma that could only be described as Hermione.

She took his hand, and placed it between her thighs, and he groaned at the feel of her. She was soft and warm, and so fucking wet. His pelvis lurched forward, seeming to have a mind of its own, his hard length pressing against her hip.

"Move your fingers," she told him, and he complied, sliding through the wetness pooled at her core. She moaned and arched her back. Draco was completely stunned that the tiny movement of his fingers could affect her in such a way. He hadn't realised he'd stopped until she told him, _don't stop_ and her groan when he resumed his ministrations went straight to his cock.

She grappled with his underwear, knowing she need to go slow, but wanting to feel his bare skin pressed against her. His hand left her momentarily, tugging his boxers down and kicking them away. Draco pressed against her side, his hand resuming its exploration between her thighs. He crashed his mouth to hers, his tongue tangling with hers as she writhed beneath him.

She grabbed his hand, shifting his fingers slightly high than they were, 'There," she groaned tearing her mouth from his. She thumped her head back into the pillow, as he played with her clit like a child would with a new toy. He watched her reactions, as he circled and pressed, discovering what made her moan the loudest. Her fingernails dug into his forearm and her hips thrust against his hand, "Draco, fuck! Put your fingers inside me."

He moved his hand, his fingers searching between her folds finding the small hole that would allow him entrance. He pressed against her, feeling her body give and found his finger sliding into her. She was warm and wet, and his finger glided though her without resistance. He added another finger on her command and surprised both of them by leaning down and lapping at her with his tongue. It was slightly awkward given his position beside her, but he didn't care. She tasted sweet and salty at the same time, a distinct flavour all of her own, and the noises coming from her had him almost toppling over. He kept going, not sure if this was right, but when her hips suddenly jerked against his face, and his name fell from her mouth in an almost feral moan, he figured he was on the right track. He felt the sudden pressure of her inner muscles clamping around his fingers. He jerked his hand, but she grabbed it, holding it in place, while she rode out her climax.

Draco watched in fascination as her body shuddered with the tiny aftershocks of her orgasm. Her hand gripped his hair and tugged gently. He looked up at her, her face a picture of bliss, "You can stop now." She told him, panting for breath.

"Oh," he said, sliding his fingers gently out of her and moving to lay beside her, his hand resting on her belly, "Sorry."

"Don't be sorry, that was amazing." She assured him, reaching her hand down and circling his hard length, drawing a groan from him.

His head thumped against her shoulder, as her hand slowly began to move along his length. _Holy Fuck!_ Her hand felt like nothing he could even describe. He groaned again as she increased the pressure, and his hips moved of their own accord.

He grabbed her wrist, "Hermione, please," His voice sounded tortured, "I won't last."

She smirked at him, "Good." She said and tugged hard on him. She was relentless, moving her hand fast, dragging her fingernail along the sensitive underside. His body shook, and he groaned, and she felt the warm liquid from his cock land on her hip and stomach. He bit down on her shoulder, swearing, as he jerked and shuddered against her, another stream of wetness falling onto her skin. She felt his breath panting against her chest, his cock softening in her hand.

"Good? What the fuck is good about that?" he snapped at her, pulling away.

Knowing he was embarrassed that he had come all over her, she shifted her hand from his cock and gripped his hip, stopping him from moving away. He looked down at her, surprised to see the fingers of her other hand sliding through the mess he'd made on her stomach, "I like you all over me."

His face flushed pink, "You don't care that I did that?'

She smiled at him, "No I don't. In fact I liked it very much." He looked sceptical, "Draco, sex isn't always about fucking, sometimes it's just about being together. Touching and exploring and coming all over each other." She ran her fingers through the sticky mess on her belly again, "And this is good, because when you're inside me, you'll last longer.

He looked down at himself, "You've kind of ruined that for a while."

"Was the build up to that," she gently stroked his limp penis, "Not enjoyable?"

His eyes went wide, "Fuck no! Hermione that was...Merlins Balls, that was phenomenal."

She laughed, "Well, here's the best part. You get to do it all over again."

He grinned at her, the famous Malfoy smirk crossing his face, "Does that happen every time?"

"Me coming like that?" she asked.

"Yeah." he said against her skin, his tongue licking across her taught nipple.

"Only when the guy knows what he's doing." She told him causing him to pause his current task, "I'm not sure how it's possible, but you certainly know what you're doing."

His mouth twisted into a smile, "I took your advice." He told her, "I read a book."

* * *

Draco didn't think it possible, but the build up that followed, was even slower and more intense than the first. Hermione's reactions to his touches, the small whimpers and moans, had him growing hard again in record time. And this time she touched him back. Her hands caressed his face and neck. Her touch seemed to draw flames across his chest and stomach, and when she squeezed his arse, he made an almost embarrassing squeak into her neck.

He rolled her to her back and hovered above her, the underside of his cock pressed firmly against her swollen heat. She reached between them pressing her hand to her belly, and he watched as a yellow glow spread across her abdomen. He realised what she'd done, a contraceptive charm, but she had done it silent and wandless. To his knowledge, only Dumbledore and the Dark Lord himself had been able to do such magic, he even had his doubts about the Dark Lords' abilities.

"Silent magic?" he asked completely in awe of the naked witch beneath him.

She smiled up at him, "Yes, but that's a conversation for another time."

He leaned down and kissed her, "You're amazing."

She ran a hand across his cheek, "Thank you," she whispered, "Are you ready?"

He nodded, taking his engorged cock in hand and directed himself towards her. He locked his eyes on her, and finally pushed into her, their voices mingling as they groaned in unison. Hermione's eyes fluttered shut, and she breathed deeply. Her body stretched around him, it had been a long time since she felt so full. She hadn't had the chance to fully look him, but she knew he was big when she had wrapped her hand around him. She opened her eyes and found him watching her.

"Tell me," she panted, "Tell me how it feels."

Draco swallowed hard, "It feels right," he said, "You feel...fuck!...you feel perfect. Familiar." He hadn't been prepared for the heat of her body, the tightness of her channel, the softness of her pussy surrounding his cock. She was like a cool drink of water after a day in the sun. She was exactly what he needed, without even knowing it.

Hermione wrapped her legs around his hips, rising slightly to press fully against him, "I know," she groaned, "We fit perfectly."

He began to rock his hips against her, a natural instinct he didn't know existed, but the ache in his balls had in groaning in frustration, "Hermione, I...I can't hold on " his voice was strained, barely a whisper.

"It's okay Draco," she murmured rocking gently against him.

Draco shifted on his elbows, giving himself room to move, and began thrusting into her. Long, deep thrusts, starting slow and building into something he could never have imagined. She moved with him, meeting his hips in time with his rhythm. The ache in his balls grew, and he squeezed his eyes shut, willing himself to hold on. He knew this first time would most like end quickly, but he had hoped for more than a few minutes. The tingle in his spine spread, pushing him to move faster, and he couldn't hold back. He thrust into her hard and fast, drawing a moan from her, the sound pushing him over the edge. He felt himself swell inside her, his body jerking above her. He came with a loud groan, jet after jet of hot fluid exploded in streams from his cock. He collapsed on top of her, feeling her shudder beneath him, her pussy spasming around his softening cock.

She wrapped her arms and legs around him, caging him against her. His breath was hot on her neck, heavy pants across her sweat dampened skin.

"Hermione, I'm sor-" he began, but she cut him off.

"That was perfect." She said then sighed in bliss, "Draco, you were perfect."

He lifted his head to look at her, "Really?" he asked and she nodded, "You're not just humouring me?"

She brushed her fingers along his back making him shiver, "No, not humouring you. That's was...Draco that was amazing, imagine what you'll be capable of when you know what you're doing."

He snorted against her neck, "Are you willing to help me find out?"

Hermione frowned slightly, then smiled, "Draco, what are you saying?"

He pushed up onto his elbows and smiled down at her, "I'm asking you to be my girlfriend. That's if you'll have me."

"Are you sure?" she asked quietly, "This isn't some post, lost virginity high?"

Draco brushed her hair from her forehead, "I'm sure" he said, "This isn't lost virginity high...well, actually it is, but I've wanted you for quite some time."

Hermione swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat, "Then yes, I'll have you."

"Good," Draco grinned at her, "Because if that was lesson one, I can't wait for the lesson two."

* * *

"Draco!" Blaise yelled, shoving the bedroom door open, "Get your miserable, lazy arse out of bed. Stop sulking and-" Blaise stopped short, stunned by sight before his eyes.

"What the hell Zabini!?" Draco yelled, "Get the fuck out!"

Blaise stood rooted to the spot, his brain screaming at him to move, but his feet not seeming to get the message. Draco sat bolt upright, his arms wrapping protectively around Hermione, who was currently naked and sitting atop him, her knees either side of his hips. Hermione's back, and the curve of her arse, were on full display, the sheets had pooled around them both in a tangled mess. The small groan that left her throat when Draco moved filled the room.

Draco looked up at her, realising that his shift in position had pushed him deeper inside her, "Sorry," he whispered.

"Don't be, you feel amazing," she whispered back, before glancing over her shoulder, a smirk on her face, "Geez Blaise, if you wanted to watch, you just had to ask."

Her comment pulled Blaise from his stupor, "Fuck, sorry, fuck!" he cried, backing out of the room and slamming the door.

Hermione laughed, "One more secret for the group," she said.

"He'll be racing off to tell them all right now, you know that right?" Draco raised an eyebrow at her.

"Does it matter?" she asked running her fingers along his abs.

"No," he groaned, "I want everyone to know I'm yours."

"You're mine, huh?" Hermione's voice was low and sultry. She pushed him back and leaned in, tracing her tongue around his nipple. She loved the taste of him, he was permanently burned onto her tongue, filling her senses. Like herself, he was marked with scars, but they did nothing to hide the fact that he was magnificent. The gaunt, drawn boy was long gone, leaving a lean and muscular man in his stead. She traced her fingers over the well defined muscles of his chest and stomach, a thin trail of blonde hair lead from his naval to the base of his shaft which, Hermione had discovered, was larger than the average, significantly so.

After Draco's first time, he followed it up with another sweet and slow round, taking his time, lasting significantly longer, and dragging out their orgasms and so they both climaxed together. On their third round, she took it upon herself to speed things up and show him exactly what she liked. After he made her come again with just his hand, she took him in her mouth, and had him lost in an experience his fantasies had not even come close to.

Round four and Draco just took her, chasing his own pleasure, not caring about hers. Even though she had awakened him to the sheer pleasures of sex, there was still something. The rumours. The ones he and Blaise had started, the ones he had not followed through. He was ridding himself of the remaining pent up sexual frustration, driving into her with hard deep thrusts that would have been painful had she been anyone else, but she was Hermione Granger, and this was how she liked it; hard and fast and almost rough. He pounded harder and harder until they both cried out, completely spent and falling asleep in a tangled mess of limbs.

Now, she decided, it was her turn. She had woken him after just a few hours sleep, touching, licking and biting at him until he was at full attention, sliding over him and taking him deep inside. She began to move, her hips circling at an agonisingly slow pace. Hermione leaned down, capturing his mouth, kissing him a long, deep kiss. His mouth opened against hers, their tongues mimicking the slow movement of their bodies. His hands gripped her thighs, squeezing gently as her muscles moved and flexed with each rocking movement.

She braced her arms beside his head, picking up the pace slightly, drawing a low groan from him. He reached up to cup her breasts, his thumbs sliding across her nipples. Hermione gasped and bit her bottom lip, slamming her hips down hard. She pressed her hands to his chest and the slow steady thrusts she had intended to drive him over the edge with, turned into harder, faster, almost frantic thrusts.

"Draco!" Hermione gasped as her muscles began to flutter around him, "Oh shit! Oh fuck." And that's exactly what she did, fucked him, hard, grinding down while Draco thrust up against her.

Hermione threw her head back, and screamed out his name, as Draco's body seized beneath her, a litany of profanities fell from his mouth, as he exploded inside her.

* * *

Blaise walked back to the common room, stunned at what he had just witnessed. He knew that Draco had been pining after Hermione for some time, but the sight of them together, especially after the previous nights' events, had still shocked him. He figured Draco would sulk for a week after everyone found out, talking his anger out on everyone around him. But Hermione had obviously managed to calm him down, to say the least.

"Is he okay?" Pansy asked frowning at Blaise's dazed expression. "Blaise! Is he okay?"

Blaise finally looked up and grinned at her, "Oh, I think he'll be fine."

Ginny's eyes went wide and then she laughed, "No. Surely not?"

Blaise nodded, "Oh, I'm sure."

"No fucking way!?" Pansy started laughing, "She's...no fucking way!?"

"Oh, she most certainly is." Blaise smirked.

"What did you see, Zabini?" Harry asked.

"I'm not sure you want to know, Potter," Blaise informed him, "But Granger looks awesome naked, and that's saying something, coming from me."

Ginny and Pansy howled with laughter, Harry and Ron were not as pleased, "You saw them..." Ron asked tentatively.

"Oh I saw alright," Blaise said, "She was about to ride him like a cowgirl." The two girls squealed with delight, while Harry and Ron looked as though they'd tasted something rotten. "But they don't know you're all here, only me. But if you keep screaming they'll work it out."

"What are you thinking Zabini?" Ginny asked.

Their eyes went wide, when they heard a loud series of screams and profanities echoing down the stairs.

"Another drinking game, next weekend, not a word though." Blaise told them as they all scrambled out the door.

* * *

The following weekend, Blaise and Pansy arrived in the Head's common room, shot glasses and Firewhiskey in hand. Hermione was sitting on the floor, surrounded by books and parchment, Draco was lounging on the sofa, reading a thick text book.

"Oh, the fun that's happening here on a Saturday night.' Pansy drawled sarcastically, "Put away your shit, Granger."

Hermione raised her eyebrows at her, "And you invited yourselves because...?"

"This is the only place we can get drunk where the professors won't find us." Blaise told her, winking at her.

He'd been goading her all week, since walking in on her and Draco, but she was still unaware that the others knew. She and Draco, while spending every night for the past week in bed together, had not yet gone public, as it were, wanting to stay in their own bubble just a bit longer.

She shook her head, "And if I don't move?"

Pansy opened the bottle and tipped it slightly sideways, the amber liquid threatening to spill on her fresh parchment. Hermione yelped, and swore at her, gathering up her books and marching then to her room.

"Why are you pissing her off?" Draco asked, "You know she can put you on your arses without thinking about it."

Pansy shrugged, "Come on Draco, this is our last weekend before school starts again. Live a little."

Harry, Ginny and Ron came through the door, laughing, and staggering. Hermione re-entered the room at the same time, "Really guys?" she sighed.

"Oh come on Hermione," Harry laughed, "One more weekend off won't hurt. Your brain's probably full anyway."

Draco snorted, earning him a sharp glare, "What?' he asked barely containing his laughter, "That was funny."

Pansy had set the glasses down on the coffee table, and was already pouring the whiskey, "Here's to...Fuck, I don't know..."

"Not dying young?" Blaise shrugged.

"That'll do!" Ginny agreed, grabbing a glass and tossing the contents down her throat.

"How much did you all drink before coming here?" Hermione asked cautiously, she sensed something was up. They were all acting a little off.

Ron scratched the back of his neck, his face was slightly red, "Um, well, Seamus brought some of Ireland's finest back with him, and, um..."

"What Weasley?" Draco asked.

Ron's brow furrowed, "What?"

"Oh, for Christ's sake," Hermione mumbled, using a muggle curse that only she and Harry seemed to know, "Dutch courage is it then?"

Blaise looked down at his feet, Pansy's face flushed crimson, 'No," she stammered, "We just wanted to come and have a few drinks with our new friends."

"Nice try," Hermione said shaking her head, "Just ask your fucking question."

Draco was watching the exchange with fascination, suddenly realising why they were all here, but playing dumb, "What question?"

Hermione looked at Ron, "Ask the question Ron."

Ron looked between her and Draco, "Maybe Harry should." He said taking a step back.

"One of you fucking ask!" Draco shouted.

"Oh for fucks sake," Ginny interjected, and rolled her eyes, "Never have I ever had sex."

Hermione looked at Draco, who was shaking his head. He leaned down and picked up two glasses, handing one to Hermione. They clinked them together and downed the whiskey.

"Way to ruin our fun you two," Pansy said.

"Try being a little more covert next time, you twats." Draco said, "Clearly dickface here told you what he saw."

Blaise held his palms up, feigning innocence, "I told them nothing." He said.

Harry snorted, "I believe the words ' _riding him like a cowgirl'_ were mentioned."

Hermione pressed her fingers to her eyes, "Thanks Blaise."

"Don't mention it." He said with a grin, "From what I saw, our Draco's a lucky man."

"Hey," Draco said quietly pulling her hands from her face, "He's right, I am a lucky man." He leaned in, cupped her face and kissed her. It was slow and deep, and he could care less that their friends were watching. Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him back with equal fervour.

"Whoa!" Harry whispered, "This looks like more than just fucking."

Draco bent down, and picked Hermione up. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he carried her towards the stairs. "Enjoy your party." He called, laughing at the stunned expressions on their friends faces.

"You're right Harry!' Hermione called as they disappeared at the top of the stairs, "This is so much more!"


	2. Chapter 2

"Hi Draco." A sixth year Ravenclaw girl said as she walked past, smiling and batting her eyes at him.

Hermione choked on her tea, almost snorting it across the table at Harry, who was sitting opposite her, and therefore didn't see the seductive look the girl was attempting to shoot at Draco. Pansy, however, was sitting beside her and did see it, and was outright laughing.

"Draco, where are your manners?" Blaise said, a shit eating grin stretched across his face, "Say hello to the unfortunate twit."

It had been almost four weeks since their eventful New Year. Classes had resumed and the castle was full of students again. Hermione and Draco still hadn't revealed their new relationship to the rest of the school, and had insisted that the others not tell anyone either. Their concerns had very little to do the reactions of the students, they could care less about that. No, what concerned them was the fact that Professor McGonagall would be horrified that, since they were now a couple, they would essentially be living together at Hogwarts in the head's dorm.

Draco had had plenty of attention during his Hogwarts days; the rumours surrounding him had assured him the attentions of most of the female population. However, since his return after the war, he'd been almost entirely left alone. Now that had changed, and when everyone returned from the Christmas break, the attention had suddenly returned. And he was at a loss as to why. It simply made no sense.

Every morning at breakfast at least three or four girls would approach their table, say hello and smile, and on several occasions outright flirt with him. And it was worse during the day. It seemed every hallway he turned down there would be another girl, throwing herself at him. They were mostly Slytherins, but with the new found unity between houses, several girls from all years and all houses had approached him. He had politely told them no, that he wasn't interested, but that only seemed to make things worse. It just seemed to make them try harder.

Draco huffed out a breath, this was getting beyond a joke, "This is bullshit," he muttered and then looked at Hermione.

"No." She said firmly, "Don't even think about it."

"Oh, come on," Ginny hissed across the table at her, keeping her voice low so the other eighth years wouldn't hear, "Will you just kiss in public and get it over with, so this ridiculous breakfast parade stops?"

"No," Pansy said, "Keep it secret, because this is way too entertaining."

"Hey! You both need to stay out of it." Harry, ever the pragmatist, told them, "Actually, we _all_ need to stay out of it and let them decide when they tell everyone."

"It's like it's a competition," Draco grumped, "A very unwelcome competition."

Hermione had noticed Blaise had gone silent, and Ron was wolfing down his breakfast faster than normal, "The silence from the end of the table is deafening." she noted. Ron choked on a mouthful of food, and Blaise was looking everywhere except at Hermione.

"You arseholes!" she cried, not caring who heard her, "You did this?" Both attempted to stand and flee, but she aimed her wand at them, "Sit the fuck back down and explain yourselves."

The entire dining hall had gone silent, watching with rapt attention, and slight terror. The younger students had never seen Hermione in action, and she was a sight to be beheld. If they thought their professors were terrifying; they had nothing on an angry Hermione Granger. Ron swallowed his mouthful of food, and Blaise just shrugged and returned to his seat. Hermione refused to sit until Ron, somewhat reluctantly, rejoined the table.

"Do you really want everyone to hear this?" Blaise asked.

Hermione glanced around; every face in the hall was focused on the eighth year table, more specifically on the small group at the end. She rolled her eyes, and picked up her wand, casting a spell that allowed only the seven of them to hear what was being said.

"No one can hear you. Now explain what you two fuckers have done!" She snapped.

"Weasley and I made a bet," Blaise said, and Hermione glared at him. "We thought that if we spread a rumour that Draco was on the prowl for a girlfriend, the two of you would come out, as it were." Blaise told them.

"And the bet was...?" Draco was incensed,

"It was for how long it would take for Hermione to get pissed off and tell them all to leave you alone." Ron told him.

"Why would you do that?" Hermione asked, "It's our decision, not yours."

"Because I hate keeping secrets," Ron said, exasperated, "Aren't there enough of those already?"

"Wow, and here I was thinking that friends keep secrets for each other," she shook her head, "Maybe the rest of us should make a bet as to how long it would take for the school to find out about the two of you."

"Minute man," Pansy said with a cough, just as Ginny said, "Oh is that Graham I see."

Ron and Blaise glanced at each other, "Sorry guys," Blaise said, "I just thought it would be funny, I didn't think it would go this far."

Hermione huffed out a breath, "So you learned nothing from the last time you thought it would be funny to start a rumour?"

Draco sighed, "Lift the spell, Hermione." She frowned at him and he touched her hand, "Please? We need to stop this."

She looked down at their hands, realising everyone would see, and she huffed out a breath, "You two owe me. Big time." She glared at Ron and Blaise. She raised her wand and lifted the spell, hearing whispers all around them.

Draco stood and held his hand out to her; she took it as she stood and smiled up at him. Expected him to kiss her there and then, he surprised her, by simply pulling her away from the table and walking hand in hand with her out of the Great Hall.

* * *

"Miss Granger." Professor McGonagall said as she entered the common room the following morning, "Is Mister Malfoy here? I would like to speak to you both."

"Uh, yes Professor," Hermione said, "He's upstairs."

"Mister Malfoy!" the Professor called, "Would you join us please?"

"Professor," Draco greeted her as he made his way down the stairs, he glanced at Hermione; they both knew what was coming.

"Sit," McGonagall said to them, indicating the sofa, and taking a seat in the armchair opposite. The pair sat on the sofa, leaving a large gap between them.

"Now, it has come to light that there is something going on between the pair of you," she peered over her glasses at them, "And that something is the two of you being more than just friends."

Hermione felt her face heat up, and she heard Draco draw a breath, "Yes, Professor, Hermione and I are, um, well..."

"Spit it out Mister Malfoy."

Draco shifted closer to Hermione and took her hand, "Hermione is my girlfriend, Professor."

The Professors mouth twitched, a hint of a smile touching her lips. She cleared her throat, "Yes, well, while I have heard the rumours, I needed to make sure for myself."

The pair looked at each other, "Rumours, Professor?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, Miss Granger. The silent ruckus, shall we say, at breakfast yesterday morning has been the talk of the school."

"Silent ruckus?" Hermione frowned at her, "What do you mean...oh?" Clearly the professor was referring to the spell she had cast at breakfast. Hermione hadn't thought about how it must have appeared; the seven of them silently arguing while the rest of the students and the teachers looked on. And then, of course, there was she and Draco walking hand in hand from the hall.

"Yes, Miss Granger, I mean the discussion that your group appeared to be having," McGonagall shot her one of her patented stares, "Now, we have a situation here that we have not ever had to deal with in all of Hogwarts history. I don't want to have to separate you, as you have both set excellent examples to the rest of the school, however, I am not sure that we can allow you to remain in the same dorm together if you have become an item."

Hermione's heart sank. She and Draco had shared each other's beds since New Years' Eve. They had not had sex every night, but just the simple act of sharing a bed had become normal, comfortable, and even though it had only been a month, she wasn't sure she could go back to sleeping alone.

"Professor, you can send us back to the eighth year dorm if you think you need to," Draco began, "We certainly don't want to cause any problems here, but I can assure you that nothing inappropriate has happened, or will happen while we're living here."

 _Oh, that's smooth,_ Hermione thought, lowering her head to hide the smile that threatened to break out on her face. The Draco of old was shining through, putting on the charm and talking his way out.

The professor narrowed her eyes at Hermione, "Is this true, Miss Granger."

Hermione lifted her head, her face impassive, "It is Professor. You have our word, nothing will happen." She hoped that McGonagall wouldn't notice the slight evasion of her question. She hadn't denied that anything _had_ happened, but had assured her that nothing would. One unspoken lie and one outright lie. She could feel her heart rate increase; she hated lying to her teachers, especially her most admired one.

McGonagall looked between the two, and took a deep breath, and Hermione steeled herself for what was to come, "Very well then. I trust the two of you to behave appropriately, and continue to set an example for the other students."

"Of course professor, you have our word." Draco said.

Hermione let out the breath she had been holding the second the professor had left and instantly panicked, "She knows. She knows everything. Fuck Draco! What are we going to do?"

Draco pulled her towards him, gripping her shoulders, "She doesn't know. If she knew, we would find ourselves outside the gates with an invitation _not_ to return."

Hermione thought about it, and realised he was right. There was no way Professor McGonagall would allow them to stay here together if she knew.

"I'm impressed she didn't find out though," Draco goaded her, "I mean, lying to a teacher. I didn't think you had it in you."

She stood on her tip toes and kissed him, "It must be you. You're a bad influence on me,"

"Me!?" he gave her an innocent stare, "I believe the bad influence is you...taking my virtue and all, humph!"

She slapped his chest, "Come on, we have classes."

They made their way to the dungeons for their Potions class. Ginny and Harry were several steps ahead of them, they would part ways at the end of the hallway and Ginny would head to Defence Against the Dark Arts, which she was adamant that she didn't need, since she had been a part of the Order that had defeated the Dark Lord. It was still somewhat of a sore point with her that she couldn't attend the same classes as them, but since technically she was still a year below them she had to attend classes with her fellow seventh year Gryffindors. They would all graduate together, but it was a small consolation.

"Why would he be with her?" a whining female voice said. She was wearing the Silver and Emerald colours of Slytherin, and sneered at Hermione as they walked past the group of fourth years waiting for their Charms class, "Doesn't he know about her? She's nothing but a filthy-"

Draco stopped and spun around, stopping the conversation instantly. Hermione grabbed his arm, "Just leave it."

Draco ignored her, "She's a filthy what?" he glared at the girl, causing her to shrink back, almost cowering against the stone wall, "And what exactly would it be that I don't know about her?"

The girl looked around at her classmates, who were all looking at their feet not wanting any part of Draco's wrath.

"I'm waiting for an answer." He snapped.

"Well, she's...Krum and...everyone says...like, ten others." The girl stammered.

Hermione choked out a cough, "Seriously? Ten others? Wow, I have been busy." She turned and walked away, leaving Draco to frown at the girl.

"Ten?" he asked, "Who the hell told you that?"

The girl looked close to tears, "I don't know...everyone says it."

"Everyone?"

The girl nodded, "I'm sorry...I really didn't mean...I know it's probably not true, but everyone says it is."

Hermione had stopped at the end of the hallway, and turned back. She watched as Draco spoke with the girl, and she frowned. Why had he not followed her? Why was he even conversing with this simpering idiot? She shrugged and continued walking. If this was something he needed to deal with, she'd let him. She knew the truth and that was all that mattered.

* * *

Saturday night found them yet again in the head's common room. Blaise had surprised them by bringing Graham with him. He was clearly uncomfortable in this new found group, but after a few drinks, he had discovered than none of them cared about Blaise's and his relationship.

"We really should find somewhere new," Harry suggested, "McGonagall's not stupid, she'll work out we're in here getting pissed every weekend."

"The room of requirement is out," Draco said with a shudder, "Too many horny seventh years hiding out in there."

"Too many horny eighth years in here." Blaise coughed out.

"Sorry, didn't catch that," Draco said, "Did you say you were sorry for barging in?"

Blaise looked at Hermione, and winked, "Oh, I'm definitely not sorry for that," he ducked as a pillow was aimed at his head.

"So," Pansy began, she had made herself at home, slouching in one of the large armchairs by the fire, and resting her feet on the coffee table, "We know Draco's history, who's next to share with the class?"

"Well since you're so interested in sharing, maybe you should start." Ron told her, a little more than mildly interested in Pansy's escapades in the bedroom. He'd heard the stories, he wasn't sure if they were true, but hoped in his heart they were.

Pansy shrugged, "Well, while our girl here was learning her way around the bedroom with Viktor Krum, I was learning my way around Nikolai Dimov, his fellow classmate."

"Which one was he?" Ginny asked.

"The fire breather." Pansy replied with a wiggle of her eyebrows.

"Nice," Ginny said with a slow nod which had Harry glaring at her, "What? He was hot, and not just because he was breathing fire."

"Wait, you did it here at school?" Hermione asked, "Really?"

"Uh, yeah," Pansy said with an unspoken _D'uh,_ "Same as you."

"Um, no," Hermione corrected, "We didn't...not here." There were six stunned faces looking at her, "What?" she asked.

"Um, everyone says you and Krum were doing it all over the castle." Ron explained.

Hermione's face flushed red, "What!? That's the rumour?" They all nodded, including Draco, "You're kidding me?"

"No," Ginny said, "But you've never said anything about him, not really, so we all just assumed that you did."

"We really need to stop believing everything we hear." Hermione sighed, and slumped down on the sofa, "It wasn't at school, okay. And that's all you're going to get." Her experience with Krum was her own and she wouldn't share it with anyone.

 ** _DM#HG_**

 _The fourth year had been an awakening in many ways for Hermione. The attention she garnered from Viktor's interest in her had taught her two things; girls were extremely jealous beings, and boys became more attentive when shown a possibility they had never considered. A lot of guys had begun to notice her after Krum had escorted her to the Yule Ball, but she discovered that they had only been interested in finding out if the rumours were true. She and Viktor had spent several nights together, but she had not quite been ready for anything more than a few hot and steamy kisses, and Viktor had completely understood and had not pushed her._

 _When the Durmstrang boys left Hogwarts, Viktor had handed her an invitation to visit him in Bulgaria during the summer months, and she said that she would try. She had convinced her parents that she would be perfectly safe, especially since she was a witch, and they finally relented and had allowed her to visit with him._

 _Arrangements had been made, and she had chosen to travel by plane, rather than portkey (her arrival experience at the Quiddich World Cup had turned her off travel by that means forever), and was greeted by and overly excited Viktor Krum._

 _"_ _You're here!" he bellowed, lifting her off the ground and spinning her around making her laugh._

 _"_ _I'm here," she said when he finally put her down._

 _"_ _Come," he said tugging her by the hand and pulling her towards the airport doors, "Let me show you my home."_

 _She had assumed that he still lived with his family, she had told her parents so, but when she arrived, he took her to his own house, where he lived alone. She realised, a little too late, that he was a world famous Quiddich player, he was probably well paid and therefore he could afford such luxuries. She blushed at the thought of staying here with him, alone._

 _"_ _You have your own room," he told her as if reading her thoughts. Her cheeks grew hotter and she looked at her feet. He tipped her head up towards him and kissed her, quickly, "I expect nothing from you. Please don't worry."_

 _They had spent two weeks exploring his home town, and its surrounds, with Viktor laughing at Hermione's constant stream of questions. Her thirst for knowledge amused him to no end. She met with his family, and Viktor had had to play the role of translator for his elderly Great Uncle, who was only too pleased to share his knowledge of the magical world with Hermione. She had spent hours talking with him, falling a tiny bit in love with the gentle old man, who reminded her of her own grandfather._

 _The second weekend she was there, Viktor insisted that she get dressed up. He was taking her out, and it would be a surprise._

 _"_ _We will be outside and it will be warm," he told her when she asked what she should wear. She hated surprises, she liked to be prepared, but he wouldn't give her anything._

 _She wore a sleeveless dark blue top that dipped low, showing of more cleavage than she would dare at home. She matched it with a pair of loose fitting white beach pants and a pair of strappy sandals on her feet; casual, yet dressy, at least she hoped. When she finally exited her room, he was waiting, a smile plastered on his face. He was dressed similarly, a white shirt, with the top few buttons open, and a pair of baggy khaki dress shorts and flip flops on his feet._

 _"_ _Gorgeous." He said taking her hand._

 _She twisted her mouth into a smile, "Thank you."_

 _"_ _Are you ready?" he asked and she nodded, and the sudden pull in her naval had her gasping; he had disapperated them away from his house. They arrived seconds later on a sandy beach, the temperature much higher than that of his home. It was almost sunset, and the coast line was sparkling in the evening light._

 _"_ _Where are we?" she asked and he grinned._

 _"_ _Corfu," he told her, "Do you like it?"_

 _Her eyes went wide, "Corfu? We're in Greece?" He nodded and she flung her arms around his neck, "It's perfect."_

 _He laughed, "Come on, we'll be late." He took her hand and walked her along the beach towards what looked like a resort, "Our home for the night."_

 _"_ _Wait," she gasped stopping short, "We're staying here?"_

 _"_ _Is that okay?" he frowned slightly._

 _"_ _It is, but," she waved a hand at herself, "I have no more clothes with me." He smirked at her, and she rolled her eyes, "Be serious."_

 _He stood in front of her, taking both her hands in his, "Its fine. I had your bag sent here. And we have separate rooms."_

 _She narrowed her eyes at him, "I hate surprises."_

 _'_ _Yeah, you told me," he laughed, "Now come."_

 ** _DM#HG_**

 _"_ _Viktor?" She said, her voice was almost a whisper, "You can stay...if you want." They'd eaten dinner watching the sunset,_ very romantic _Hermione had thought, wondering what else he had planned. But when they arrived at their rooms, he simply kissed her and bid her good night._

 _He smiled at her, "I very much want to, but are you sure?"_

 _She nodded, and he cupped her face, kissing her deeply, his tongue slipping between her lips and tangling with hers. She slid her hands across his shaven head, the tiny hairs tickling her palms. He kicked her door shut and pressed her against it, his mouth trailed along her jaw and throat, reaching the soft skin at the juncture of her neck and shoulder._

 _He pulled away from her, "I don't want you to do anything you don't want to," he told her, "Don't feel like you have to do this for me."_

 _"_ _I want to," she said, "But, I haven't..."_

 _He cupped her face in his hands, "Then we'll go slowly. No rushing." She nodded and he pulled her towards her bed._

 _He removed his shirt, and she sucked in a breath. Quiddich had done him well. He was all muscle, well defined and strong. She grabbed the hem of her top and began to pull it up, but he stopped her._

 _"_ _May I?" he asked and she smiled._

 _He pulled the material over her head, and sucked in breath of his own. She was perfect; her flawless skin was a golden brown, from her days in the sun. Her breasts were covered with a simple white cotton bra, spilling slightly out of it. He stood looking at her, breathing deeply, wanting to touch her, but not wanting to scare her._

 _She stepped up to him, tentatively reaching her hand up, and trailing it across his chest. A smattering of dark hair grew out from his sternum, and lightly covering his chest. A smaller trail led from his naval, and disappeared beneath the waistband of his shorts, which she noticed had grown tighter, a rather large bulge growing rapidly the more she touched him._

 _She giggled, not able to stop the noise escaping her throat._

 _"_ _Is this funny?" Viktor asked with a small smile on his face._

 _"_ _No," she reassured him, "It's just...I don't know what I'm doing and I feel stupid."_

 _"_ _No, that's where you're wrong," He placed his hands over hers, pressing them tighter to his chest, "Everything you're doing is right, just keep touching me."_

 _She took a breath and ran her hand lower, tracing the outlines of his abdominals, discovering he was ticklish. She laughed, and ran her fingertips across his ribs, the light touch making him flinch. She looked up at him, steeling herself, as she found the button on his shorts and tugged it open. She slid the zipper down and pushed at his shorts, letting gravity take over as they fell to the floor. She chanced a look down, and swallowed. The stretched briefs barely hid his straining length._

 _He tipped her face back up to his, "As slow as you want, okay? You're in charge here."_

 _She nodded, and pushed her own pants down, revealing the white thong that matched her bra._

 _"_ _Perfect," he breathed and finally reached out to touch her. She shivered, and closed her eyes as his lips descended on her shoulder, trailing a line of hot, wet kisses across her skin. His hand ventured higher, cupping her breast and squeezing gently over the cotton of her bra._

 _"_ _Take it off," she almost ordered him, and he snorted a laugh against her shoulder, "Sorry," She laughed nervously._

 _"_ _No, I liked you telling me what you want," he reached around and unclasped her bra, and slid it down her arms, "What do you want me to do next?"_

 _An audible breath left her nose, and she reached down and cupped him. He jerked at the unexpected touch, and she pulled her hand away, "No, I liked it," he assured her, taking her wrist and directing her back to him._

 _"_ _How does it feel?" he asked._

 _"_ _Hard," she replied and he threw his head back and laughed, "What!?" she demanded._

 _"_ _Oh, you're perfect." He said, wrapping his arms around her and dragging her to the bed, "What do you want me to do now?"_

 _"_ _Can you take those off?" she asked indicating his underwear, and he answered in the affirmative. He yanked his briefs down, his cock springing free, and tossed them away. He looked up at her and found her eyes locked on his shaft, wide with wonder. "May I..?"_

 _He took her hand and placed it on himself, showing her how to touch him, to squeeze him. And she was a quick study. She slid her hand along his length, watching in amazement at how it twitched and swelled in her hand and she was mildly surprised when tiny beads of moisture leaked from the tip. She ran her thumb across the head, the moisture gathered there spreading with each pass of her thumb. After a few minutes he grabbed her wrist, stopping her._

 _"_ _Sorry," she said, alarmed._

 _"_ _No," he breathed, "That was amazing, it's just, well if you keep going, this will be over before it starts."_

 _"_ _Oh," she said quietly, wondering what to do._

 _"_ _My turn," he told her and kissed her belly, "I'm going to touch you," he explained, "But you need to tell me to stop if I hurt you, okay?"_

 _She nodded, and held her breath. He slipped his fingers under the strings on her thong, pulling it down her body. She wanted to cover herself, for him not to look at her, but she gripped the sheets in her fists, willing herself to relax._

 _"_ _Hermione,' he whispered, "Look at me." She glanced down and he was smiling at her, "You're beautiful. Don't hide."_

 _He grazed his hands over her legs, moving slowly upwards, brushing gently over the insides of her thighs, and coming to rest on her hips, "Let me see you," he told her, and she spread her thighs wider. He was looking down at her, his gaze hot and heavy, almost burning into her, "Beautiful," he repeated and leaned down to kiss her stomach._

 _His finger lightly brushed over her, and her body clenched at the rush that one small touch could cause. She could feel the wetness pooling at her core with each passing touch. His fingers dragged the moisture upwards, and circled the tiny bud at the top of her slit. She moaned at the touch, unaware that she was able to feel such pleasure. Her hips began rocking against his hand, a movement that felt natural, easy. He shocked her when he bent down and ran his tongue through her folds. Her hand instinctively went to his head, her fingers brushing against the short hair. His mouth was like magic, his tongue circling around her clit, sending shockwaves through her belly._

 _She felt his finger slide into her and she clamped down on the intrusion. He paused, waiting for her to relax again. She slowly unclenched and he began to move slowly, before adding another finger while his thumb brushed over her clit. Her mind went blank at the dual sensations, the slow burning pleasure that was building within her. Her breath quickened, and a shiver ran down her spine. She gasped and clamped down on his fingers, crying out his name as she experienced the first orgasm of her life._

 _"_ _How did that feel?" he asked her as he crawled over her._

 _"_ _Wow," she was still breathless, "That was incredible."_

 _"_ _You're welcome," he said making her laugh, "Are you sure you want to do this?"_

 _She swallowed hard, she did, but that didn't make her any less nervous. And would he stop if she said she didn't? She was sure he would, but after the pleasure he had just given her, she definitely wanted more._

 _She nodded at him and he lowered himself to her. She could feel him pressed directly over her core._

 _"_ _Are you ready?" he asked softly, and she nodded and tensed slightly. He pressed his hand to her stomach and she felt the warmth of the contraceptive charm spread through her. She'd not even thought about it, and she thanked Merlin that he had. "Relax, okay."_

 _She took a deep breath, and relaxed beneath him, she could feel the hard length of him pressing against her. She was nervous, not knowing how he would fit inside her. He pushed forward, and she felt her body resist._

 _"_ _Relax," he murmured against her ear, "Let me in."_

 _She pulled her knees along his ribs, and relaxed her body as best she could, and he groaned as she felt him finally enter her. This not what she had expected. She thought there would be a fiery, agonising pain when he pushed into her, it's what everyone said would happen and it was in all the books she had read. But this was different, there was a tiny sharp pain that was gone as quick as it came, and then all she felt was stretching, like she was being pulled to her limits, an uncomfortable pressure that made her want to pull away from him._

 _The weight of his lower half pressed against hers kept her in place. She swallowed hard, and looked up at him._

 _"Are you okay?" He whispered, and she nodded, "I'm going to move now, tell me to stop if it's too much."_

 _She was amazed at how tender he was, how patient, how completely different this experience was to the one she'd imagined. She thought he would just take her, she had prepared herself for the pain of it, but he was being so gentle all she could feel was him._

 _He moved slowly, pulling away from her, and then slowly pushing back in. She winced slightly; the feeling wasn't unpleasant, just foreign and unusual._

 _He paused, "Hermione?"_

 _She brushed a hand across his face, "I'm fine," she told him, "Just go slow, okay?"_

 _He leaned down and kissed her, pressing his entire body against hers, she moaned into his mouth, the weight of him on top of her was something she didn't know she wanted or needed. The knowledge that he wouldn't hurt her, that he was taking his time and allowing her to lead, was overwhelming. She circled her arms around his shoulders, holding him close. He felt like home, like the comfort of everything she knew, like the familiar warmth of a fire in the middle of winter._

 _His kiss went on and on, his body completely still above her, not moving. She felt a tingle in her spine and an aching pull low in her body. She rocked her hips against him, surprising him and he broke the kiss with a gasp._

 _"_ _Please," she whispered, not really sure what she was asking for, but knowing she need more than his kiss._

 _He moved again, slow and steady, allowing her to fully adjust to him inside her. She rocked against him, slowly recognising his rhythm, her body beginning to realise what it had been chasing. The pulling and stretching from when he first entered her was almost gone, replaced by a warm pleasure that was spreading throughout her body. He shifted above her, leaning on his elbows, and digging his knees into the mattress. He picked up his pace, earning a low moan from her._

 _It was only pleasure she felt, an exquisite sensation that pulled every nerve in her body to the spot where they were joined. His pelvis hit against the sensitive nub he had found earlier, and she groaned into the quiet room. There was something else, something inside her. A spot he was hitting on every thrust. It sent a wave of pleasure through her with every pass, and she found herself rocking harder against him, chasing the sensation that had her tingling._

 _"_ _Krum," she whined, "More."_

 _He kissed her mouth and began moving faster, sliding through her, sending that familiar wave throughout her body. He was groaning with every thrust, grunting against her neck, a sound that had her arching beneath him as an explosion of pleasure ripped through her. A silent scream left her, and she shuddered around him, her channel clamping down hard on his length buried inside her. He thrust twice more, before tensing and swearing in his native language, and then collapsing on top of her._

 _Their breathing evened out and he shifted off her, her body shuddering as he slipped out of her._

 _"_ _Are you okay?" he asked, placing a gentle hand on her belly._

 _"_ _Perfectly fine." She said, closing her eye and curling against him._

 _In the remaining week she was there, they were together twice more; once in his bed, where he showed her how to straddle him and she discovered a whole new series of pleasures were to be had; and once in the shower on the morning before she left. She had surprised him by dropping to her knees and taking him in her mouth. She had no idea what she was doing, but the groans that echoed around the bathroom indicated that he was pleased with her efforts._

 _They'd parted at the airport, Hermione hugging him, and telling him not to wait for her. She had loved being with him, but she didn't want him to put his life on hold waiting for her to catch up. They both knew what was on the horizon, the war was looming, and neither had any idea what would result._

 _They had remained friends, to this day. He had married and was still Bulgaria's favourite son. And Hermione wouldn't change her time with him for all the gold in the world._

 ** _DM#HG_**

"So, exactly how many have there been?" Draco was clearly trying to keep his voice even.

The party that had started out as a few laughs at their individual experiences had turned into a heated exchange between Hermione and Draco. She had been reluctant to say much of anything, not about Krum, not about the others. Her number wasn't high, in fact it was quite low, but she was still not sure of how Draco would react. And clearly she was right to be hesitant.

"You're the fourth." Hermione finally told him and then narrowed her eyes, "How many did you think there were?"

"You said several others." Draco reminded her.

"No I didn't" Hermione frowned at him.

"I asked you, before we...um..." He glanced at the others, "the first time... and you said it was true."

"Semantics, Draco, and it was _you_ who assumed it," she said, struggling to keep her voice calm, "I said Viktor was true, but as for _several_ others _,_ there have only been _two_."

Draco's face flushed at the realisation that, she was right. _He_ had said several others, not her, and all the gossip that he had started to believe had been rubbish.

"Oh my god, Draco!" Hermione's voice had risen, "Is that why you stopped and listened to that loud-mouthed imbecile on Tuesday morning? You believed the bullshit stories? You believed that I've slept with hundreds of guys?" Draco winced at the accusation, correct as it was, "I can't believe you!" she shook her head, and then steeled him with a glare that had him almost stepping back, "Just so you know, I have had more sex with you than the other three combined, and that was just on our first night!"

Draco was stunned. He'd never even considered what she was saying. He had just assumed it was countless times with these other guys. Her first had been Krum, after all. He assumed that Krum would have fucked her five ways from Sunday, but had it only been once with him? Had it only been once with all of them? _Oh, shit,_ he'd accused her in his own mind of countless encounters, and he had clearly been wrong.

"Hermione, I..." he began but she held up her hand, cutting him off.

"You...Fuck you Draco!" She stormed up the stairs and slammed her bedroom door.

The silence that followed was all consuming. No one said a word; they were as stunned as he was. But their surprise was directed at him, not at Hermione.

"You got off lightly," Pansy said and shoved past him, heading up the stairs, "I would have slapped you into tomorrow."

"I might still do it," Ginny was glaring at him. Draco didn't think it possible, but the current look Ginny's face would have put any terrifying glare from Hermione to shame, "You're a dick, Malfoy." She followed Pansy, heading for Hermione's room.

Ron stood, "Wow Malfoy, you really haven't changed at all, have you?" He sneered at him, "You still think she's beneath you, that she'd sleep around. I guess she _is_ just a filthy mudblood."

"Fuck you Weasley!" he snapped leaping over the coffee table and grabbing Ron by the shirt front, " _You_ said that, not me."

Harry grabbed Draco's arm, and Blaise leapt to his other side, grabbing his shoulder, "Calm down mate," Blaise said, as Draco shrugged his hand away.

"I'm not that person,' He snarled at Ron, who had clearly hit a nerve, "She's not a...that...and no one else will _ever_ call her that."

"It was Cassius," Harry said, but earning a glare from Ron, "And a muggle friend of hers from home."

"Warrington?" Draco's eyes were wide, and he let go of Ron, "But he's..."

"A Slytherin? A Death Eater?" Harry finished for him, "Kind of like you?"

"Touché." Draco conceded the point, "But when?"

"It was-" Harry began, but Ron stopped him.

"Hermione should be telling him this, Harry, not you." Ron turned to Draco, "Get your fucking pathetic arse up there and apologise."

Draco took a deep breath and slowly ascended the stairs, steeling his nerves. He thought Potter and Weasley would have beaten the snot out of him, Blaise too, for his outburst. He certainly deserved it. He cringed at his own behaviour; one day was all it had taken. He and Hermione had, in Blaise's words, come out, and he straight away let the whispers and chatter get to him. He had listened to and believed the rumours being spread by jealous teenage girls for most of the week, when he knew better. Hermione had not treated him any differently when she found out his secret, and yet he totally disrespected her when the rumours about her got under his skin. He was well aware that Hermione would tell him everything; he had only had to ask. Instead he had turned into his old self, and thought the worst of her.

He knocked on the door, and pushed it open a crack, the three girls were sitting on her bed, "Can I come in?" He asked.

Hermione looked at Pansy and Ginny, "Can you give us minute?" she asked them and then nodded at Draco.

Ginny squeezed Hermione's arm as she climbed off the bed, Pansy punched Draco's arm as she walked past him, "Idiot." she said as she and Ginny left the room.

Draco shut the door, and then everything he had planned to say seem to fall out of his head, so he just stood there, his hands in his pockets, avoiding making eye contact.

"She's right, you know?" Hermione said, "You are an idiot."

"Sorry," he said and Hermione huffed out a disbelieving laugh.

"Sorry?" she shook her head, "That's it, that's all you have to say?"

"I don't know what else _to_ say." He said.

"Think of something." She said coldly.

"I am sorry," he said, "I reverted to type and believed the bullshit. And I shouldn't have. But Hermione, I can't stand the thought of you being with anyone else. I guess I can deal with Krum, but the thought of anyone else...Fuck Hermione! I hate it."

"But you knew before this," she waved a hand between them, "Before we were anything."

"I know!" He snapped, "That doesn't mean I have to like it!"

"Holy crap! You're jealous? Jealous of what?" she looked incredulous.

"The fact that you're my first and I'm your fourth." He yelled, "I know that's pathetic and I shouldn't be jealous, but I am."

"Oh," she said quietly, all the fire going out of her at once. It wasn't what she was expecting, not for him to be jealous. It made no sense. Then a thought occurred to her and she looked up at him, "Does that mean you want to..?"

"Want to what?"

Hermione shrugged, "Explore other options."

"Explore other options? Hermione what..?" Draco stopped, realising what she meant. He sighed and sat down facing her, "No, I don't want to _explore other options._ I have no interest in anyone but you. But you need to understand that I hate that you've been with other guys."

Hermione opened her mouth to say something, but Draco held up his hand, stopping her, "I'm okay with it," he reassured her, "I have to be, if we're going to be together. But I hate it."

She frowned at him, "You're okay with it, but you hate it? How does that work?"

"I don't know, it just does."

She shook her head, "I'll never understand male logic." She watched as his face twisted and frowned, "Do you want me to tell you?" He nodded and she shrugged, "Well, you know about Krum, it was three times with him. We're still friends, but you have nothing to worry about. He's married now, and he's completely besotted with her."

"Christmas Holidays of our Fifth year, I went home, we were going skiing with family friends. Their son and I," she shrugged, "It was his first time and it was awkward and uncomfortable, and we've not spoken about it since."

"The following summer, after the Umbridge debacle in that same year," she continued, "I ran into Cassius Warrington. Actually he ran into me. He wanted to apologise for the way he had behaved, that he was following Umbridge to save his family. Apparently they were on The Order's side, not Death Eaters at all. We became friends, and one thing, as they say, lead to another, and well, he was number three."

"He never said a word." Draco told her.

"He wouldn't would he?" she pointed out, "He was supposed to be on the side of evil. And you can't sleep with mudbloods if you on the pure blood side."

"Please don't say that," Draco winced, "I'm sorry I ever did."

"I know, but that was the truth of it at time." She said and then smirked at him, "I told you mine..."

"What? You know-" he pursed his lips, realising she was teasing him, "Well, actually, if you really want to know, my first was...wow...it was mind blowing. The girl, she was amazing. She had a lot of experience," he grinned at her and she slapped his arm, "And she was patient and kind and didn't laugh at me, which is always good. She, fuck Hermione, you wouldn't believe how amazing she was."

Hermione shifted into his lap and wrapped her legs around his waist, "You're a pathetic sap, you know that right?"

"Don't tell anyone," he said and kissed her.

* * *

A loud banging on the door interrupted them, "Stop fighting and get out here!' Ginny yelled, "Ron and Pansy are about to kill each other and you don't want to miss it." They heard footsteps running back down the stairs. They looked at each other and scrambled off the bed, racing down the stairs to the see Pansy and Ron standing toe to toe and shouting at each other.

"Take it back Parkinson!" Ron shouted.

"Why should I, Minute Man!?" she yelled back.

"Because you don't know shit!" Ron's face was red, he was as angry as any of them had ever seen him, "I thought we weren't listening to bullshit stories anymore."

"Oh, we're not," Pansy snarked at him, "But obviously you've got something to hide, Weasley."

Ron was breathing hard, his temper was frayed and he had never wanted to hit a girl as much as he did right now. Pansy raised her eyebrows at him, daring him to keep yelling, and that was the last straw. He grabbed her face and crashed his mouth to hers.

The group took a collective breath.

"Holy fuck!" Blaise whispered, "She's going to kill him."

But he was wrong. They all watched as Pansy slid her arms around his neck, and began kissing him back.

"I don't need to see this," Ginny said with a grimace.

Harry coughed, loudly, but they took no notice of him. "Hey!' he shouted as Pansy slid her hands down and squeezed his arse. They broke apart, lips swollen, faces red, "Would you mind taking this somewhere else?"

They looked at each other, "I know just the place." Ron told her and dragged her from the room.

Graham looked at them all, "So, is this a normal Saturday night for you lot?"


	3. Chapter 3

"What are you thinking?" Ginny asked a frowning Hermione.

Ginny and Hermione were enjoying a quiet lunch together. It was Sunday, the start of February, and while the snow had melted, the air was still cold and the ground had turned into a soup of mud and slush. Draco and Harry had challenged each other at breakfast that morning to a round on the Quiddich pitch and the news of their dual, as it were, had spread through the school in minutes. The Great Hall had all but cleared out, the students scrambling out and racing for the best seats. All of the first and second years, and most of the third years had never seen them in action, and the chance to see the two former seekers go head to head was an opportunity not to be missed.

Ginny and Hermione, however, had decided that they would not play the roles of sport star girlfriends, (Draco and Harry grinning when they named them as such) and had chosen to stay in indoors. Given a choice of freezing temperatures outside on the Quiddich pitch or the heat of the fire burning in the giant fireplace of the Great Hall, there was no choice really; the cosy warmth inside had won them over.

Besides, Ginny had told them, she spent enough time playing Quiddich herself, so she didn't need to watch those two try to kill each other for fun.

Ginny had been watching as Hermione observed the few other students around her, a thoughtful frown on her face. Clearly something was bothering her.

"All the gossip and rumours," she said, "I just don't get it. Why is everyone so interested in the lives of others?"

"This _is_ Harry and Draco," Ginny said, "Two of the best Seekers the school has seen in years."

"No, not that," Hermione corrected her, "I mean why are people so interested in Draco and me?"

Ginny laughed, "Seriously?"

"Yes, seriously," Hermione sounded annoyed, "We're no more interesting than anyone else here."

"Hermione, it's you. And Draco Malfoy," Ginny said exasperated at her friend's naivety, "Everyone thought the two of you were polar opposites, that you would most likely kill each other when you were named Heads. So imagine how shocked they – we – all were when the exact opposite happened."

Hermione frowned again, "So, you think we shouldn't be together?"

"No, I mean, yes, you should be," Ginny said, "I just mean, it was highly unexpected. But seeing you both together now, I actually have to wonder why you haven't been together for years. You're perfect for each other."

"Do you think so?" Hermione asked, the frown still creasing her brow, "I guess we hated each other for so long, I can see why everyone was surprised."

Ginny watched as her friend processed her thoughts, a small wave of concern shot through her, "Are you having doubts?"

"Merlin, no!" Hermione reassured her, "Not at all. He's changed so much. I mean, did you ever think we'd even be friends, let alone anything more?"

"It never crossed my mind," Ginny told her, "I never thought we'd ever be friends with Pansy and Blaise, for that matter."

Hermione sighed, "I just hate the attention, Gin. I know I should be used to it, I mean with the whole 'war hero' nonsense," she lifted her hands to make quotation signs, "I can deal with that, I don't really have a choice there. But, this is personal. I just wish they'd stop with all the gossip and rumours."

"Yeah, that's not going to happen," Ginny informed her, "Not for a while, anyway. You're big news."

"We're really not,' Hermione sighed.

Ginny leaned over and patted her hand, "Just let them talk. It was the same with me and Harry. Every other girl thought that they deserved 'The Chosen One,' not me. I refused to let it bother me."

"How long did it take for the gossip to stop?"

"I still don't think it has, I don't think it ever will," Ginny shrugged a shoulder, "I still get glared at by some of them. But there's no point stressing over what everyone else says, because that's all it is, just talk. You know the truth, and the shit that gets made up isn't worth worrying about. Just be glad they don't know what you're getting up to behind closed doors." Ginny winked at her.

Hermione's cheeks went pink and Ginny laughed at her friends embarrassment. Hermione had not told her anything, but the screams and profanities that they had all heard in the common room on New Year's morning, had pretty much told her everything they needed to know about just how well Hermione and Draco fitted together.

"Oh, here we go," Ginny said nodding towards the arched doorway of the Hall. Ron and Pansy were entering and making their way towards them. They were walking closely together, their shoulders brushing against each other, but nothing indicated anything more might have happened between the two.

"Good morning," Hermione said with a grin, "Did you both sleep well?"

"Shut it Granger," Pansy said, sitting beside her.

"Where's everyone else?" Ron said looking around the Hall.

"Harry and Draco are showing off on the Quiddich pitch," Ginny told him, "So naturally the entire school had to go and watch."

"Seriously!?" Ron exclaimed and turned to leave. He stopped and looked back at Pansy, "Um, is it okay if I go and watch."

"Why wouldn't it be?" Pansy asked him.

"I don't know, maybe you want me to..." he shrugged.

"Want you to what?" Pansy was frowning at him.

"Maybe you want me to stay and eat with you." He replied.

"Do you want to?" She asked, "Or do you want to watch Draco and Harry?"

"Thanks," he said over his shoulder as he took off out of the Hall.

"Not bad, Parkinson." Ginny said, "You've got him whipped after only one night."

Pansy just grinned at them.

"Wow, it must have been good," Hermione noted, "I figured you'd be itching to tell us every little detail...even though we've asked you not to." Hermione had never shared details of the guys she'd been with. She had shared names but that was all she would tell them. Ginny had only ever been with Harry, and she also hadn't divulged any information. Pansy on the other hand, usually told them everything, so it was a surprise she wasn't already regaling them with the previous nights' antics.

"Well, let's just say we shall not be referring to him as _minute man_ ever again," Pansy said with a wriggle of her eyebrows.

"Nope" Ginny held up her hands, "I don't need to hear this."

"You won't be hearing anything Gin," Pansy said, her cheeks turning a pale shade of pink, "I'm not sharing this one, and not just because he's your brother."

Hermione glanced at Ginny, this was side of Pansy they had never seen, nor thought they would ever see. She wrapped an arm around Pansy's shoulders and squeezed, "Glad you're happy."

"I'm glad the two of you never lasted, I would have hated to miss out on him." Pansy said with a smirk.

Ginny shoved her fingers in her ears and squeezed her eyes shut, "NO!" she cried, "I said I didn't want to hear this."

Hermione and Pansy both laughed, "Don't worry Gin. I promise you won't hear one detail about this. It was something I certainly didn't expect," she indicated towards Hermione, "Kind of like our girl here."

Ginny looked at them both, "No one expected this from either of you. The spoils of war, huh?"

Their conversation was interrupted when a young girl approached. Hermione recognised her immediately; Draco had berated her last week when they had passed her in the hallway.

"Hermione?" her voice was quiet and timid.

They all looked up at her, none of them actually realising just how intimidating they were. It was bad enough when they were alone, but when they were together, they drew stares and whispers from everyone around them. Hermione and Ginny were heroes of the war, and Pansy's reputation as a hard arse was well known. They were known to every student at the school, and all three were actually looked upon with awe, even if they themselves didn't acknowledge the reverence.

"Um," she said, and then lowered her head.

The three girls shared a look, but Hermione still said nothing. She knew she was being unkind, she should at least acknowledge that this girl had come to speak to her, but she felt very little guilt. This girl had made a scene, loudly voicing the gossipy rumours that had circulated the school, rumours indicating that Hermione was promiscuous and had slept with a vast number of the opposite sex. So right now, Hermione was happy to see her squirm. They remained silent, waiting for her to speak up.

"Um," she finally said and looked up at them, "I just wanted to say sorry."

"Sorry for what?" Hermione said, her voice a little harsher than she intended.

"I'm sorry for saying those things about you. I know they're not true." Her voice was unsteady, barely above a whisper.

"What's your name?" Hermione asked.

"Bridget," she told her, "Bridget Curren."

"Well Bridget," Hermione steeled her with a glare that Professor McGonagall would have been proud of, "Thank you for your apology, I know it took a lot of courage to come and speak to me. But I would hope that you've learned your lesson, and will no longer spread rumours regarding things you know nothing about." She darted her eyes towards Ginny and Pansy, who were doing their best to not burst out laughing, "Because if it happens again, it won't be Draco that you will have to deal with, it will be me. I walked away once, I won't walk away again."

"Hermione, no! I won't say anything like that ever again." Bridget told her, swallowing hard. She had seen Hermione's reaction to her friends at breakfast a week ago, and if Hermione was like that with her friends, she certainly didn't want to experience it for herself.

Hermione gave her a curt nod, and she almost ran from the table.

"Enjoy that, did you?" Pansy said with a laugh.

Hermione's mouth twisted into a grin, "Actually I did."

Half an hour later a series of loud whoops and chatter signaled the return of Draco and Harry. They led the mob of students back into the Great Hall, the pair looking for all the world like conquering heroes, instead of the drenched and scruffy looking Quiddich players they actually were. The smug looks on their faces as the younger students recalled the antics of them both to the students who hadn't ventured out, had Hermione and Ginny rolling their eyes.

"Good game, was it?" Ginny asked as they, and Ron, joined them at the table.

"Draco still hasn't beaten me!" Harry chortled, "He may need to be comforted later, Hermione."

Hermione looked at the pair of them. They were drenched, and covered with mud, "Yeah, well there'll be no comforting until he has a shower. I thought Quiddich was played in the air, how is it that you're both covered with mud?"

"Potter still can't stay on his broom, and he managed to take me down with him." Draco said with a smirk.

Ron snorted, "Don't listen to either of them. These two were too busy showing off for the crowd, they collided head-on and landed head first in the mud. It was brilliant."

"Morons," Pansy said, "I hope you both have headaches tomorrow, it'll teach you for showing off."

"Geez, Pans," Draco drawled, "What's got your knickers in a knot? Weasley said he showed you a good time?"

Pansy glared at Ron, who threw up his hands, "I told them nothing!" he said, "Seriously, nothing!"

"He's right Pansy," Harry said, "Draco was just messing with you. Ron said nothing."

"This subject is off limits," she said, directing her glares at Draco and Harry. They both held up their hands in surrender.

"Say no more." Draco said.

* * *

"So," Draco said, leaning against the bathroom door, watching her as she got ready for bed, "Do you share with the girls?"

"Share what with the girls?" Hermione asked, she finished washing her face and started on her teeth.

"Us," Draco asked, "Do you share what happens with us?"

She shook her head, "Uh-hu," she mumbled through a mouth full of toothpaste. She finished brushing and rinsed her mouth, "They know were sleeping together, and they know its mind blowing, because seriously, it's me," her eyes sparkled mischievously, and Draco smirked, "But that's all they need to know. I'm not going to share every little detail."

She turned out the bathroom light and climbed into bed, Draco slid in beside her. She flicked her wrist at the door, and they heard an audible _click_ as the _Colloportus_ charm took hold and locked the door.

"I thought you said girls talk." Draco had propped himself up on his elbow beside her and was looking at her with a quizzical expression on his face.

"Girls do talk, some more than others," she explained, "I'm not one of them, neither is Ginny and it looks like Pansy will tell no more tales either."

"That was a bit of a surprise." Draco chuckled.

"Any more than us?" Hermione asked.

He shrugged a shoulder, "I guess not," he began to trace circles around her belly, "Did you ever think it could possibly happen?"

"Us or them?"

"Either, both." He said.

"If I'm completely honest, no, to both." She cupped his jaw, "But I'm glad it did."

Draco gave her a twisted smile, "Us or them?"

"Us," she told him, "Definitely us."

He leaned down and kissed her, "Me too," he said, and slid his hand lower down her belly.

"What are you thinking?" Hermione

"Well, when I have a beautiful woman in my bed, I think I should take full advantage of it." He leaned down and kissed her belly.

"Your bed?" she said with a smile.

"It may as well be." He said, making Hermione laugh. He pushed her tank top over her head, taking his time, worshiping her skin. Hermione sighed, and reached for his t-shirt. He shuddered as her hands caressed the smooth skin of his back.

Hermione closed her eyes, feeling nothing but the sensation of his fingers sliding into her, stroking the sensitive nerve endings that seemed to be entirely focused in that one spot. She shivered as he lowered his mouth to her and she rocked against him, holding her breath, as his tongue and fingers worked a different kind of magic on her. He used his hands perfectly, knowing exactly what she craved and he pushed her until she tumbled over the edge, his name on her lips.

He moved up her body, trailing wet kisses along her heated flesh, pressing her into the mattress, the solid weight of him lying on top of her. She flexed her legs, digging her heels into the backs of his thighs, and wrapping her arms around his shoulders. She was warm, and ready, and when he shifted slightly and slid insider her, her pleasure filled moan made his heart swell. He gripped her hands, linking their fingers above her head and ground into her. She circled her hips in time with his thrusts, and they moved together easily; a slow dance which they had perfected in the short time they'd been together.

His breath quickened as he drew closer. He was holding on, waiting for her. He leaned down; grazing his teeth across her nipple and that was enough to send her flying. She shuddered beneath him, clamping down around him, her nails digging into his back as she ached beneath him groaning his name.

Draco watched as wave after wave of pleasure ripped through her. He loved her in this moment; her body tensing, a look of pure bliss on her face. He sucked in a breath, his thoughts crashing down on him and in that single moment everything stopped. Is that what this was? Did he love her? The realisation hit him hard. He did. He was completely, utterly in love with her and knew that his entire world would end if she wasn't a part of it. The thought toppled him over the edge, crying out her name as he spent himself inside her.

He flopped back onto the bed, breathing hard, worried that she might have noticed his slight absence at the end. She rolled to her side, flinging her arm across his stomach, "I like having you in my bed."

He laughed, his worries disappearing instantly, "I like being in your bed."

She relaxed against him, her entire body felt completely spent. She felt him kiss the top of her head as she struggled to keep her eyes open. She gave in, her body becoming heavy and pressing firmly against him. She felt his arms wrap around her, as he murmured something against the top of her head. She didn't quite catch it, something about olives, but that didn't sound right. Maybe she was already dreaming.

* * *

"Mr. Malfoy? Downstairs if you would." Professor McGonagall's voice was followed by a knock across the hall on Draco's door, followed by another knock, this time on Hermione's door, "Miss Granger?" Downstairs please."

Hermione's eyes went wide, staring at Draco, who had covered his mouth, stopping the laughter from erupting.

"Fuck!" Hermione whispered, "She almost caught us."

"She'd never come in our rooms without permission, you know that." He whispered back, climbing out of the bed, giving Hermione a spectacular view of his naked form and heading towards their shared bathroom. Fortunately, the bathroom was connected to each bedroom, giving Draco the perfect escape into his room, "See you in a second." He said laughing quietly at her panicked expression.

Hermione leapt from the bed, pulling on her discarded pyjama bottoms and a t-shirt. She dragged her hair into a messy pony tail and headed out of her room. She banged on Draco's door as she walked past, "Professor McGonagall's here, Draco, get up!" hoping that the Professor wouldn't see through her ruse.

She made her way down the stairs, and was stopped short by the look of surprise on the Professors face.

"Have you changed sides, Miss Granger?" the professor asked, indicating the t-shirt she was wearing.

Hermione looked down and it took everything for her to not groan out loud. She was swearing Draco's Slytherin Quiddich T-shirt, the snake on the emblem, she was sure, was laughing at her.

"Um, well, you see Professor," Hermione began, but Draco interrupted her.

"My fault Professor, well, sort of." Draco said in a cheery voice, "Granger here bet me that Hufflepuff would beat Ravenclaw in their match last week, and since they lost, she has to wear that for a week."

McGonagall peered over her glasses at Hermione, a look of disappointment on her face, "Well, Miss Granger, maybe you should not make bets regarding Quiddich, since it seems to be the one thing you know very little about." She looked at Draco, "Hufflepuff, really?"

Draco nodded, and McGonagall shook her head, "I told her it was a suckers bet, but she insisted." Draco said with a laugh.

Hermione rolled her eyes, "You needed to see us Professor?"

"Ah, yes," she said, "We have some players and managers from a few professional Quiddich teams visiting with us for Saturday's match between Gryffindor and Slytherin. So I was hoping that our Head Boy and Girl would meet them before the match and escort them to the pitch. I've also asked Mr Potter and Mr Montague to help you out."

"How many are coming?" Draco asked.

"A dozen, maybe less," she told him, "Several will be here to see Ginny Weasley play. She is garnering some interest from the Britain and Ireland's leading teams." The Professor said proudly. Several Gryffindors had made it to the professional league, and McGonagall took pride in knowing they had all started in her team.

"So no international guests then?" Draco asked, not looking at Hermione. She knew exactly what he was asking, _would Krum be here?_

"No, Mr Malfoy, just the locals." McGonagall told him, "I expect you both to meet them when they arrive. I'll give you more details on Friday."

"Happy to help Professor," Draco said, then turned to Hermione once McGonagall had left, and grimaced at the look on her face, "Too obvious?"

"You might as well of asked if he was going to be here." She shook her head at him, "Do we really need to discuss this again?"

"No, sorry," He said leaning in to kiss her, "What we do need to discuss is why you're wearing my t-shirt?"

"I grabbed it by mistake," she told him, "When I was trying to not get caught naked in bed with you!"

"And a nice cover story, if you will." He said smugly, "Saving the day, yet again."

"Yes, thank you. I appreciate that you can lie better than me."

He laughed, "I'm fine with you wearing it, I mean, I know you secretly want to be in Slytherin, but maybe you should put a bra on next time."

She looked down at herself, her face turning red, "I just had a conversation with Professor McGonagall, wearing pyjamas and no bra." She groaned.

"I'm sure she didn't notice," Draco said pulling her into a hug, "Now how about we get you out of my t-shirt and into the shower?"

* * *

"Cassius?" Hermione was surprised, "What are you doing here?"

Hermione was running late. Draco had kept her... busy... that morning and he had then rushed out the door, in order to get the pick of the visiting players. She had laughed at his antics; she didn't really care that much for Quiddich. She got excited when Gryffindor won, but that was pretty much the extent of her involvement. She almost always tuned out the breakfast conversations concerning players and stats from the profession leagues that so excited the others, and was usually left conversing with Pansy, who felt the exact same way as she.

Harry was waiting for her with Oliver Wood and Cassius Warrington. The three were deep in conversation when she approached them. The professor had notified them the previous day of who was coming; Cassius Warrington was _not_ on the list. Had he been, Hermione knew all too well that Draco would be here right now, glued to her side. This was not going to be good.

"Hey Hermione," he said cheerfully, "I'm here with Wood. I got lucky and had a last minute change of plans; I didn't want to miss Slytherin and Gryffindor playing. Old rivalries are hard to put aside, even when you're on the same team."

"Same team?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah, I'm a chaser for Puddlemere United with Wood." He told her.

"Oh, wow. I never knew that." She said, "Congratulations. They're pretty good, yeah?"

Cassius laughed, "Yeah, pretty good."

"Don't try to talk Quiddich with her, Warrington," Harry said, "She has no idea."

"Where's Draco?" Hermione asked pointedly at Harry, wondering if he'd had seen Cassius.

"He went ahead with Graham. The team managers were in a hurry to get the best seats." Harry informed her, with a slight shake of his head. Draco didn't know that he was here. Hermione sighed inwardly; she already knew there would be a discussion later with Draco regarding the presence of Cassius Warrington at the match.

Graham and Draco had gone ahead with Gwenog Jones, captain of the Holyhead Harpies, and Cormac Mcleod, manager of the Montrose Magpies, and Philbert Deverill, manager of Puddlemere United, all of whom were here specifically to see Ginny. She had astounded everyone, including her Harry and her brothers, at just how good a player she was. And the fact she had three professional teams scouting her had not gone unnoticed by anyone. Harry was overly proud of her and her brothers all jokingly took the credit for teaching her how to play so well.

"Word is, you and Malfoy are, um, _sharing_ the Head's dorm," he said with a wink, as they followed Harry and Oliver towards the Quiddich pitch.

"Are you asking if we're together?" She asked, and he nodded, "Well, then yes, Cassius, we _are_ sharing the heads dorm."

He laughed, "Wow, I never saw that coming."

"No one did," she told him, "But he's not the Draco we all knew, he's different and kind and ..."

"Perfect, by the sound of it," He said.

Hermione's cheeks flushed, "Yeah, he kind of is."

"I'm glad you're happy." He said.

"Thank you. I am."

She immediately saw the look of surprise, which turned quickly to pure hatred, on Draco's face as they approached the main stands. She had no choice but to walk there with Cassius, as Harry and Oliver were too engrossed in their conversation to even notice anyone else around them, and she refused to be rude to him for the sake of avoiding another argument with Draco. She had told Draco numerous times she wasn't interested in anyone else, and he would just have to trust her on that.

"Draco!" Cassius said and held his hand out to him. Draco shook it, harder than was absolutely necessary, Hermione was sure, but Cassius didn't seem to notice.

"Warrington," he said, his voice was cool. He was watching Hermione, who rolled her eyes and moved away from them. She found a seat with Blaise, who had snuck into the main stand, and was wrapped in his Slytherin colours.

"I think he's pissed," Blaise whispered to her.

"For no fucking reason," she snarked, "It's not my fault Oliver brought him along."

Blaise smiled and squeezed her hand, "Just let him piss all over you and mark his territory, and he'll be fine."

Hermione screwed up her face, "Really? That's revolting."

"Only speaking figuratively, Granger, untwist your knickers." Blaise laughed.

"Oh really? Have you let Graham piss all over you?" She asked and the smirk on Blaise's face had her immediately regretting it, "No, no, no. I don't want to know."

"It's Warrington. If it was anyone else he wouldn't care," Blaise pointed out, "Just let him be the Alpha male today."

"I don't understand why he's jealous," she said, "I'm with him. _Seriously with_ him and he still thinks I'll wander off with someone else."

"It's every guy's fear," Blaise explained, "And when it's someone like you, the feeling is tenfold."

"Someone like me?" She frowned at him. Blaise had never called her mudblood, not once. "What do you mean?"

"I don't mean... _that_...I mean, you're amazing Granger," He smiled at her, "And I'm not saying that just because I've seen you naked."

She shoved at him with her shoulder, "Thinking about switching teams?"

"Hell no," he laughed, "You're not _that_ amazing."

"Why am I any more amazing than anyone else here?"

Blaise touched her forearm, "You've been through shit that no one else could imagine. And you survived. Everyone knows that and you're revered. You may not like it, but it's the truth. And no one reveres you like Draco. I've not seen him like this with anyone."

Hermione blushed. Very few people had touched her forearm, she simply wouldn't allow it. Harry, Ginny, Molly Weasley and Draco were the only people she had ever let touch her. The Ministry had attempted to remove the scar, but the dark magic that had put it there was too strong to remove it completely. They had managed to get it to fade to a shadow, but it was the best it would ever be.

"I've been through no more shit than anyone else," she said quietly. Blaise returned the shoulder bump and smiled, knowing the struggle she had after the war, her scar a daily reminder of what had happened.

"And if he reveres me so much, why doesn't he trust me?" she asked.

"It's not you he doesn't trust, it's them." He nodded at Cassius, "All those guys that are constantly eyeballing you, they're the ones he doesn't trust. Have you looked in a mirror?" she frowned questioningly at him, "You're gorgeous, sweetheart, and even if you don't know that," he circled his hand, at the stadium, "All these horny guys do."

She huffed out a breath, "I just don't get it. I mean how many times do I have to tell him I only want him?"

"Every day until his thick head understands. It's the only way."

"Cassius knows," Hermione informed him, "He asked earlier and I told him. So he's well aware that I'm Draco's territory." She rolled her eyes.

"He asked?" Blaise looked surprised at her, "How did he know?"

"Apparently the rumours at Hogwarts travel beyond the gates." She said.

"Wow, you two _are_ big news." Blaise said raising his eyebrows in surprise.

"Like I told Ginny, we're really not."

"Oh, honey," Blaise said, "You really are."

* * *

The day didn't get any better.

Cassius had made the mistake of sitting beside her, chatting to her and Blaise throughout the match, oblivious to Draco's scowls being aimed from directly behind him. He had sat far enough away from her so he wasn't touching her, but apparently that was still too close, according to Draco. He was furious.

For two and a half hours the two teams battled it out, until finally, in a move that made Harry almost burst with pride, Ginny caught the snitch low to the ground, tumbling across the field several times before raising her hand in victory. She lay on the ground for a full ten minutes, completely exhausted, her team mates crowding around her, equally exhausted. The Slytherins had collapsed at the other end of the field, and a slight concern grew through the crowd as no one had moved for any length of time. Madame Pomfrey raced to the field, examining each and every one of them and ordered a day of rest for all competitors the following day. It had been one of the longest games any of them had experienced.

And for every minute of those two and a half hours Hermione could feel the anger pouring off Draco in waves. The fact he was sitting with Philbert Deverill made no impact, even though Hermione was sure that if Cassius hadn't been there, she would have been ignored for the entire match. The Puddlemere United manager was a favourite of both Draco and Harry.

Hermione couldn't even enjoy the win. The Gryffindors were beyond excited, the celebrations would be sure to last long into the night. But she knew there would be no celebrations for her. She would have a hot-headed dragon to deal with.

After the match, she had made her way back to the Head's dorm, where she prepared for the tirade that was sure to come. And she wasn't mistaken. He had stormed in, ranting and swearing, announcing all the body parts he was going to rip from Warrington. After her conversation with Blaise, she had been prepared to give him some leeway, but this was beyond ridiculous, so she snapped.

"Are we going to have to go through this every time a guy talks to me, or even looks at me?" Hermione snapped.

"This is different Hermione," Draco snapped back, "You know damned well it is."

"How is this different Draco?" she asked.

"You were talking to Cassius Warrington," he said, "I didn't think I would need to explain why this is different."

Hermione closed her eyes and took a steadying breath, _not this again,_ she thought. "Draco, you do understand that we're together? You and me. I'm not interested in anyone else."

"I'm well aware of that," he told her, "But I'm not sure Warrington is. He was looking at you."

"Looking at me," Hermione had to hold back a laugh, "Just how was he _looking_ at me, Draco?"

"He was looking at you like he doesn't know we're together, which makes me wonder if he does know." Draco retorted.

"Of course he knows," Hermione stated, "Why wouldn't he?"

"Maybe you didn't tell him," Draco pointed out.

"Of course I told him!" Hermione's voice rose, "Not that I had to. Every fucking person on the planet knows about us!"

"Then why-" Draco began.

"I don't fucking know why!" she yelled, "If you think he was _looking_ at me, there's not much more I can do about it other than to tell him that I'm with you, which I did. How many times do I have to tell you that I'm not interested in anyone else? I just want to be with you. I don't know what I else can do or say to make you believe that."

"Don't talk to him," Draco said coldly, "I don't want you to go near him."

"Excuse me?" Hermione stared at him in utter disbelief, "Did you just tell me not to talk to someone? Really Draco, who the hell do you think you are? Your father?" As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she wanted to shove them right back in.

He stepped back from her; he looked genuinely hurt, "Is that what you think? That I'm like my father?" he shook his head, "Wow, Hermione, I guess I _am_ just the same arrogant, spoiled, ill-mannered brat you always thought I was."

"Draco, I didn't mean-" She touched his arm, but he pulled away.

"Don't bother Hermione," His shoulders sagged and he headed for the door, "Just leave me alone, I can't be near you right now. "


	4. Chapter 4

Girls talked. That's what she had told him.

They shared their lives with each other, and maybe that's why they were more at ease with their emotions. Anger, elation, sadness, fear; all the emotions were there, and they seemed to be able to express them freely. They were made out to be weak and vulnerable, but the women who had been (and were) in his life, were strong and capable. They could scare the shit out of you with one look; or they could make you fall in love with them in the blink of an eye. It might be a rollercoaster, but at least they could express how they felt.

In his experience, guys didn't do that. Not the ones he had known anyway. If there was something bothering you and you told your mates, they would in turn tell you not to be a nancy, and then you'd all laugh, call each other names and beat your chests. What the hell was wrong with guys?

Draco huffed out a breath, the vapour expelled from his mouth turning white in the freezing air. He had risen early and left the dorm, avoiding having to deal with her yet again, childish and immature he knew, but right now, he didn't really care. He was sitting near the lake despite the near-freezing temperatures. His lungs were burning, and his hands and face were red with the cold, but the cool, clean air out here seemed to help clear his head.

It had been two weeks since he'd spoken to her. Two weeks since they'd argued, since she had called him Lucius, since he'd walked out. He was angry, and hurt, and despite his jealous behaviour, he was pissed off at her for what she had said. He had no desire to be associated with that man ever again, no matter who he was. He had to bear the name of Malfoy and the hatred that came with it, and that was burden enough.

He prided himself on the changes he had made; in his life, in his person and in his beliefs. He had discovered the much more pleasant rewards of being respected for the positive things he'd achieved, rather than being respected out of fear. It had been a hard lesson to learn, the bigoted views that had been ingrained in him from birth had been hard to push aside. But once he had managed to, the outcomes had far outweighed the struggle.

He saw in his former rivals an unlikely friendship that was loyal and forgiving. They were a family, they held nothing back. They shared their lives; the anger, the hurt and the frustrations, but also the joy, and laughter and kindness. He, on the other hand, had been taught to hold everything in, to not let anyone see his true feelings and to remain stoic and rigid, to use fear as a weapon. But watching them together, he realised what he had missed. True friendship, no strings attached. And they had accepted him as he was, all but wiping away the hatred and torment of their formative years. They, of course, pulled him up on his shit, but that's what friends did, right?

And Hermione. She was unexpected, so much more than the unlikely alliance with Harry and Ron. She had more reason to hate him than anyone. He had called her mudblood, and considered her beneath him. He had tormented her, put her down and despised her for simply being smarter than him. He had had no equals when it came to school. He had outshone all his peers, until she came along. But he had been so wrong about her. So very, very wrong. She was brilliant and kind; compassionate and fair. She made him laugh more than anyone had. And she was stunningly beautiful. And on top of all that, she was the most talented witch he had encountered in his life; and he'd grown up surrounded by purebloods, having their doctrine shoved down his throat. She outshone all of them.

He sat staring over the half frozen lake, the rational side of his brain telling him to find her and talk to her, that he _needed_ talk to her and work this crap out. However, the irrational side of his brain was disagreeing, telling him he was right, and she should be the one to seek him out. And it was the irrational side that was winning.

He was well aware that he hadn't been making it easy, but she didn't seem to be trying to find him at all. He had been avoiding their dorm for two weeks now, only going there to sleep. She would usually be spread out in the common room; books, quills and parchment everywhere, but he'd seen no evidence of her at all. He wasn't even sure if she was simply holed up in her room, or if she was sleeping elsewhere. The only time he had seen her was in their classes, and he had to admit, she looked like hell. Maybe he didn't need to concern himself as to _where_ she was sleeping, but if she was sleeping at all.

"Draco?"

He looked up as Harry, Blaise and Ron headed his way. He had managed to avoid them all these past two weeks, even Blaise who knew all his hiding places hadn't found him, and he winced inwardly as they approached. While they were his friends, he wasn't sure how they would react. He wasn't even sure if they'd spoken to her. He'd told them nothing, and was still averse to telling them anything at all. He'd reverted to his old ways, and was keeping everything to himself.

They all adored Hermione, everyone did and he was sure that if Blaise was straight, he be in hot pursuit of her. And he was also of the firm belief that if anyone hurt her, if she didn't kill them herself, they all would gladly step in. It was why he had avoided them; he was Draco Malfoy and she was Hermione Ganger. He had no doubts as to which side they all would be on.

"What's going on?" Blaise asked, sitting beside him on the bench. They would need to be patient. It had never been easy to get anything out of Draco Malfoy, and the fact they hadn't seen him would make this even harder.

"Nothing." Draco snapped, but really there was no point in being angry and trying to push them away, clearly they already knew something was wrong.

"Okay," Harry began cautiously, "We've not seen you or Hermione outside a classroom for two weeks, and we've not seen the two of you together in all that time. Hermione just told us to fuck off when we went to see her, and has told us the exact same thing every time one of us tries to talk to her. You've been hiding and now we find you out here sulking. Are you still going with _nothing_?"

"We had a fight," Draco said, looking at his feet, refusing to make eye contact with them, "That's all."

"A pretty big one by the looks of it." Blaise noted.

 _That's an understatement_ Draco thought. With both he and Hermione being as headstrong as they were, and the fact the neither was willing to give an inch, _epic fight_ was probably closer to the truth. He finally looked up at each of them, waiting for the name calling and chest beating to start; instead he only saw concern on their faces. Maybe this was his chance to do the talking thing she told him about.

"Draco, what's going on?" Blaise asked again.

He closed his eyes and ran his hands through his hair. He took a steadying breath and looked back up at them, "She said that I was acting like Lucius would." He finally told them and they all winced. They all knew how much effort he had put into changing his ways and telling him he was exactly like his father was probably the lowest thing she could have said.

"Whoa," Harry breathed, "She really said that?" Draco nodded.

"And what happened between the two of you to make her say that to you?" Blaise asked and Draco narrowed his eyes at him, but his friend knew him all too well, "Don't look at me like that. I'm not defending her, but I know there's more to this than her accusing you of being like Lucius."

Draco stood and took a few steps away from them and looked out over the lake, "I hated that Warrington was here. That he was talking to her, that he was even near her." He clenched his fist, his short nails digging into his palm. "None of you know what it's like."

"How's that?" Blaise asked.

"Potter and Ginny were each others' firsts and they will never be with anyone else. Rumour is that Weasley and Pansy are a thing now, but they've both been with other people, and Blaise, you might be with Graham now, but do I really need to mention your man-whore days?"

"The number of people you've slept with is not important...unless its hundreds," Blaise told him, "Pansy, Ron and I, it's probably not as many as you think. And we all have history."

 _"I_ don't." he said with a huff, "I'm not concerned that she's got history, I'm honestly not. And I don't care that she's it for me. I just hated seeing her with him. Laughing and smiling and...argh...I just hated it."

The three shared a wide-eyed look. Did he realise what he had just said - _she's it for me_? There was more going on here than any of them had realised.

"And you told her that?" Harry asked.

"I did," he answered, "She got angry and told me that I was being an idiot and that she wasn't interested in him."

They waited for him to continue, but he remained silent. Blaise rolled his eyes in frustration. It was Draco's jealousy that had almost ended the two of them before they even got started. And it appeared that the green eyed monster had reared its ugly head again.

"And you didn't believe her?" Blaise asked, recalling the conversation he had had with her at the game the previous day, when she asked him why he thought Draco didn't believe her when she said she only wanted to be with him. She hadn't understood his jealousy; why it had so infuriated him that Warrington was there. But she, and now them, had no idea just how he felt about her.

Draco turned to face them, "I did, I have no reason not to, but I was too pissed off to say sorry. So I told her that I didn't want her to speak to him again."

"And there it is." Blaise said.

"And there what is?" Draco snapped, his anger raising.

"I know you were pissed off, and I understand why you are. You're nothing like Lucius, you truly are not. And I agree that you have every right to be angry at her. I mean, I would hate for Graham's ex to show up. But you can't act like this every time another guy talks to her, regardless of who he is. You need to trust her when she tells you she's not interested in anyone else, especially when she's told you that repeatedly. " Blaise explained.

"He's not her ex," Harry corrected, "They were never together. It was a one-time thing with them. I'm pretty sure she's told you that too."

Draco nodded; this whole sharing thing wasn't going as planned. They were supposed to be bitching and whinging about her, turning her into evil spawn. Instead, they were being logical and fair, and making sense of the whole situation.

"Besides, she's totally in love with you." Ron said finally speaking up and surprising them all, "I've known her for a while now, and I was the unlucky bastard that followed those three. Nothing ever happened between us; she told you that, right?" Draco nodded and Ron continued, "And none of them, or me, gave her that spark she now has in her eyes. You're blind if you don't see it."

Draco was staring at him, dumbfounded, "I don't think she's in love with me."

"I'm pretty sure she is," Harry was nodding, agreeing with Ron, "I've never seen her this alive."

Draco thought about the last time they were together, when he was watching her fall apart beneath him; it was in that exact second he realised how much he was in love with her. He had whispered those three little words to her as she fell asleep, tasting the words on his tongue, and discovering that they felt real. He'd laid there for almost an hour after she fell asleep. She was wrapped around him, her head on his shoulder, and he knew he needed nothing more.

He assumed she hadn't heard him whisper to her; she'd not brought it up. He did want to tell her, but he was worried it was too soon, that he'd scare her away. But if what Weasley said was true, and she loved him back, he had royally fucked this up.

But still, he wasn't completely at fault, she had referred to him as being like Lucius, and he told his friends as such.

"You're right," Harry agreed, "I imagine she would have been angry, but she does need to apologise, she should never have said that. But neither of you are going to fix this if you're not speaking to each other.

Harry was right – and he hated when Harry was right – they needed fix this.

"You're right," Draco said "We need to fix this."

"Well, it's gonna have to wait," Ron pointed out, "We have a riveting History Class to get to."

* * *

Hermione woke up alone. Again.

After two weeks she knew for sure that she hated sleeping alone. She didn't think that after such a short time of sharing a bed with someone that she would so miss having a body beside her. Draco's presence each night since New Year's had been a comfort, he made her feel safe. Whether they were in his bed or hers, it made no difference. She simply wanted him near her.

In the time that had passed since she'd accused him of being like his father, she had barely seen him. Other than in their classes, or during Heads of School meetings, he avoided her. He wasn't giving her a chance to apologise, to sit down and talk rationally about what had happened, and it was driving her crazy.

She had heard his door quietly close an hour earlier; it had become the routine. He would leave early and return late, avoiding their dorm completely, if (she assumed) he thought she was there. She had tried to catch him in the first few days, but had long since given up. Clearly he didn't want to see her.

She dragged herself out of bed, and a lazy glance at the clock let her realise she would be late. _Fuck_ she thought and looked longingly back at her bed. She could simply crawl back in there and disappear for the day. Of course McGonagall would instantly be here, along with all the others, to see why she wasn't in class. She had never missed one in her entire time at Hogwarts, and no matter what had happened between them, Draco Malfoy would _not_ be the reason she missed her first ever class.

She showered quickly and headed for the hallway that led to her History of Magic class. She rounded the corner and was stopped in her tracks. Draco was speaking to a seventh year Ravenclaw girl, who was smiling and nodding, a genuine look of delight on her face. She had seen him talking to her two days ago, in the same hallway, but that time she'd taken very little notice of them. This time her blood was boiling at the sight.

Draco looked up, noticing her watching them; his face remained blank and impassive. He turned away and continued conversing with the girl, who also had noticed Hermione, although, unlike Draco's nonchalance, she looked slightly terrified.

 _Who the hell was she, and what was he doing with her?_ Hermione glared at them both, before storming past them.

She headed for the end of the hall, where Professor Binns would be waiting to start their History of Magic class. She stormed into the room, avoiding her usual front row seat and sitting way in the back, as far away from everyone as she could. Since the class was that of the eighth years and had so few students, she had the entire back row to herself, and most of the one in front of her. Her actions caused a rippled whisper through the class. Hermione never sat in the back, no matter how boring the class was. Harry and Ron looked back at her, but she had her head down and refused to acknowledge anyone. Pansy moved to stand, but Harry stopped her with a shake of his head. Hermione was clearly in no mood to be near anyone, so it was best they all stayed away.

Draco entered the class a few seconds later, and took a seat on the opposite side of the room. He also sat alone, causing another whisper to spread through the room. The entire class was watching for Hermione's reaction, but feeling all of their eyes on her, she refused to look up. She began writing furiously, scribbling notes about who knows what, and ignoring everyone around her, including the Professor, who had started droning on about the legal acknowledgement of Fairy and Elf rights in 812AD. Hermione had completely tuned out. In her mind she only saw Draco and that girl, talking and smiling. What the hell was he playing at?

Was this Draco's way of getting back at her after he saw her talking to Cassius on Sunday before he left?

She had run into Cassius when she decided she couldn't hide in her room any longer. She had finally ventured outside the dorm, with the plan to hide by the lake, to simply get away from the castle. As enormous as the castle was, she felt enclosed, like she couldn't breathe, so outdoors in the freezing weather would be the perfect place to clear her head.

Cassius had spotted her in the entrance hall.

 _"_ _Hermione!" he called, "Wait!"_

 _She sighed, knowing she wouldn't be able pretend that she didn't hear him and make her escape; the entrance hall echoed, and therefore there was no way she could ignore him. She stopped just inside the doors and waited for him to catch up, "Hi Cassius. You're still here?"_

 _"_ _Yeah, Wood wanted to stay and celebrate with the Gryffindors, so I stayed and commiserated with the Slytherins. We're just waiting for Philbert_ , _so we can leave" He told her, "Hey, are you okay?"_

 _"_ _No, not really," she told him, "I was just..." she trailed off, not really wanting to tell him what had happened._

 _"_ _Do you need some company?" he looked genuinely concerned._

 _"_ _Draco's pissed at you," She blurted out, close to tears. "He doesn't want you near me."_

 _"_ _Okay," he said slowly, "What happened?"_

 _"_ _He knows about you and me," she looked down at her feet, "And he was pissed off that you sat with me at the game yesterday."_

 _"_ _He knows it was only one time, right, you and me?" he asked, and she nodded, "So what's the problem? "_

 _"_ _He thinks you're after me," she said._

 _"_ _If you weren't seeing someone, maybe I'd take my chances and pursue you, but you're with Draco, so there's no way. I'm not_ that _guy."_

 _"_ _I know that, but he doesn't." She shrugged, "I got angry and told him he was acting like his father. And he stormed out."_

 _Cassius winced, "Hermione. No. That was way too harsh. He's nothing like his father. I kind of get why he's mad."_

 _"_ _I wish I wouldn't have said it. But I've not seen him to apologise. I'm pretty sure he's avoiding me, and probably will for a few days."_

 _"_ _It might be a good idea to give him some space. I know he's changed, but I'm sure he still has a temper."_

 _She sighed, "Yeah, you're right."_

 _"_ _Hey, he'll come around. If he's pissed at me for that one time, then I think he's pretty serious about you."_

 _"_ _Thanks Cassius," she said as he hugged her, "It was good to see you."_

Of course Draco had to be standing in the entrance hall with Philbert Deverill, who had stayed to talk to Ginny that morning, when Cassius had hugged her goodbye.

And, of course, several students had noticed when Cassius hugged her, and that it was fairly tense between she and Draco, so naturally the rumours that they had split had spread like wildfire.

Was that what was happening in the hallway? Did the entire female population of the school assume he was single again, and they were free to flirt and make eyes at him? Was he single? Was _she_? _Had_ they actually split? She wasn't sure how this worked. They'd been sleeping together, in both senses of the word, for almost two months, so did a fight this big simply signal the end? Or did the words need to be spoken? But then there was no chance of that happening any time soon since Draco was avoiding her. She inwardly moaned, she _should_ have just skipped all of her classes today and stayed in bed.

She was so in depth in her own thoughts, she hadn't noticed that Harry had moved to sit next to her. He hadn't spoken, or even cleared his throat to announce his presence, so when she realised he was there, she was startled. Harry had always been there for her, and it appeared this time would be no different. She had avoided him, and the others, staying holed up in her room, not wanting to have to explain what she said. They were all told in no uncertain terms to leave her be when they came to check on her. And despite all of that, Harry was here, sitting beside her. She felt a lump form in her throat and tears prick at her eyes. She lowered her head quickly, hiding her face and wishing this class would end.

Forty five minutes, and her head full of a thousand _what if_ questions later, the class was finally over. She quickly gathered her books and moved in her seat, but Harry put his hand on her arm, silently telling her to sit. They watched as their classmates stumbled out in a sleepy daze, Professor Binns managing to lull the class into a stupor yet again.

She had noticed that Draco had glanced at her on his way out and she searched her mind for the possible meaning in his gaze, but came up blank. He had given her nothing for two weeks, so she was at a complete loss as to why he was suddenly looking at her now.

The Professor looked up at them, "Oh, you're still here."

"Sorry Professor, we got caught up talking about your lesson," Harry lied.

"Well, you best be off then. You don't want to miss lunch." He told them.

"Harry, I don't want to eat in the Hall," Hermione said when they left the classroom, "I can't stand everyone looking at me."

Harry hugged her and kissed her temple, "I figured," he said, "Come on." He led them down several flights of stairs and they wove their way around hallways and corners until they reached a quite alcove near the library.

Hermione sat on the wide stone window ledge and curled her knees to her chest. Harry handed her a sandwich, but she waved it away.

"You have to eat, Hermione," he told her, "When was the last time you did?"

She looked like hell, tired and drawn, and he had assumed the dark circles beneath her eyes meant the nightmares had resumed. But since she was Hermione, she would never admit that she was struggling. He had seen this version of her before; before they returned to school, and long before Draco. The scars that marred her body were insignificant to the ones that resided inside her. She had struggled through the first round of nightmares, casting silencing charms over herself so no one would hear her screams. It took everything Molly Weasley had to get her to finally talk, and since it was Molly that had killed Belatrix, her reassurances that she would never return seemed to finally put Hermione at ease. Molly was the only one who knew the full extent her nightmares, and Hermione refused to speak to anyone else, no matter how much they had tried to comfort her, so if they'd started again, he wasn't sure how he could help without Molly's assistance.

"Yesterday," she said, "I think."

"You think?" Harry shook his head. He knew better than to argue with her, but she had to eat, "One sandwich. It's not that hard."

She took it and placed it near her feet, "I've barley seen him and he won't talk to me. How can I say I'm sorry if he won't even talk to me?"

Harry took a deep breath, "He knows you didn't mean it. He's just angry."

"He spoke to you?" Harry nodded at her, "When?"

"This morning," Harry told her, "We went and found him after you told us all to fuck off."

A small smile graced her lips, "Sorry about that."

"That's okay," Harry told her in a soothing voice, "But this can't keep going. You both need to talk about what happened."

"He told you?' She asked

Harry nodded, "He told us his version. I'm fairly certainly it's accurate."

Hermione felt the tears form in her eyes, "I hate that I said it Harry, but I can't take it back. I wish I could, but I can't. I know he's nothing like his father, but I was so mad at him, it just came out."

Harry squeezed her ankle, "Hey, I know that. You're not a mean person. But he's pretty hurt that you said it. He's made some big changes to get where he is, and even just to say it in anger, Hermione, that's just not you. What's going on?"

"I just don't understand why he won't believe me when I tell him I only want to be with him. I simply cannot see myself with anyone else, and he just doesn't seem to get it."

Harry smiled. Ron was right; she was in love with him. He was certain she hadn't admitted it to herself yet, but there was no denying the fact.

"Well, the Hermione Granger that I know, wouldn't run and hide, she'd face the enemy head on." Harry said.

Hermione smiled, "I haven't faced an enemy like this before."

"Yeah, you have," Harry said with a grin, "This is Draco Malfoy remember? Just punch him in the face, and he'll fall madly in love with you."

Hermione's eye went wide, "What?" she whispered.

"Hey, is everything okay?" Ginny interrupted them, but Hermione ignored her.

"Harry," she said slowly, "What are you saying? Is Draco...?"

Harry's face flushed, realising his mistake, "You need to talk to him. He has to tell you himself."

Ginny scowled at Harry, "What did you tell her?"

"Nothing," Harry told her, but his eyes were focused on Hermione.

"This doesn't look like nothing," Ginny was watching Hermione. She had that serious look on her face that she got when something didn't make sense, "Hermione? Are you okay?"

She looked up, and shook her head, "I'm not sure. I just need to..." she got up and walked away, the frown still on her face.

"What did you tell her?" Ginny asked.

"Nothing," Harry repeated, watching Hermione walk away.

"Is she okay?" Ginny had seen her friend at her lowest and hoped that the stress of whatever was going on with Draco hadn't caused her to take a backwards step.

"I told her she needs to speak to Draco. Hopefully that will help." He told her and took her hand, "Otherwise your mum will be getting an owl telling her to get her as quickly as she can."

* * *

Hermione spent the entire afternoon in her own head. The sleepless nights had started to take their toll, leaving her unable to concentrate on anything for any length of time. After wandering aimlessly through the castle, trying – unsuccessfully – to clear her head, she'd arrived back at the heads dorm without even knowing how she'd gotten there.

Harry had implied that Draco loved her, and she was struggling to process her thoughts. She couldn't quite get her tired brain around it. They'd only been together less than two months, he couldn't possibly be in love with her. Could he? Harry had to be wrong. He just had to be.

And the most glaring question was; did _she_ love him? She had tumbled the question over and over in her brain until she felt she'd go mad. But if she was completely honest with herself, she would have to admit that she did love him. She felt it in her entire being. But she was also torn. His jealousy and possessiveness was almost suffocating, but the affection and warmth, the compassion and courteousness that he now carried was a like a breath of fresh air; air that it now seemed she couldn't live without.

Harry had been right about one thing though, she _was_ Hermione Granger and she didn't back down from a fight, even if she was three steps past exhausted. She decided it was time to stop hiding in her room, waiting for him to talk to her. So she took up her usual spot in the common room, spreading her books and parchment across the coffee table and the floor, and then immersed herself in her schoolwork. And she was so completely absorbed that when Draco entered the dorm, she didn't even notice.

"Hey," he said, and she yelped, startled.

"Oh! You scared me," she said, her heart hammering in her chest.

He lifted his hand, a small gesture that said sorry, without having to actually say the word.

"Hey," she said, the awkwardness not dissipating with the small acknowledgement.

Draco stood staring down at her; he hadn't been prepared for her to be sitting in her usual spot. He figured he would knock on her door, and approach her slowly and calmly. But she had thrown him and everything he wanted to say was stuck in his head.

Hermione was staring right back. Her heart was still racing, but she wasn't sure if it was from the scare or that he was standing here in front of her.

"Are you okay?" he asked, "You look tired."

"I've not been sleeping," she told him, wanting to say _not that you care_ but biting her tongue. There was a time and place for childish taunts, and this wasn't it.

"Am I to blame for that?"

"Maybe. No," she said and shrugged, "I don't know."

"Sorry," he said, "For everything."

Hermione sighed, and stood, "I'm sorry too, Draco I—"

"Hermione, just let me, please?" He said, "I shouldn't have been jealous. I should have trusted you and believed you. I know you're not interested in him, or anyone else, and I'm not excusing my behaviour, but I just hated seeing you with him. "

"I'm sorry that I said what I said, I truly didn't mean it," she told him, "I was so angry with you for not believing me. But after seeing you today, I guess I know how you felt."

He frowned at her, "How do you mean?"

"That girl you were with, this morning in the hallway."

"Were you jealous?" He tried to keep his face impassive, but failed.

"Of course I was jealous!" Hermione yelled; she didn't take kindly to the smug look on his face, "Go ahead, this is your chance to throw it in my face."

As much as Draco wanted to throw it back at her, he held back, "Hermione, the way you felt when you saw me with her, that's how I felt, probably more so. When I saw you with Warrington, I thought everything in me would explode. And then I saw him hugging you, and it made my skin crawl to watch him touch you."

"Is that why you did that? Talked to her where I would see, to get back at me?"

"Of course not!" He exclaimed, frustrated, "Why would you think that?"

"What the fuck did you expect me to think? We have a fight and you refuse to speak to me, and then I see you with the same girl twice in as many days. I figured you had moved on, that you'd decided to change your _one and only_ status."

"Her name's Amelia. She struggling with Potions and Professor Slughorn asked me if I would help her. She has History of Magic before us, so it was easier to talk to her between classes." Draco said, stopping her rant.

"What?" Hermione took a step back, "Potions? _What_?"

"I'm helping her with Potions, that's all," Draco remained calm, one of them had to, "I thought you trusted me."

"I do," she said, "But you wouldn't speak to me, so how they hell would I have known that? It's been two weeks Draco. Two. Weeks. Do you know how hard it's been?"

"Yeah, I do." He said, "I hate not being with you. Seriously Hermione, two weeks without you... _fuck_! I couldn't stand it."

"So why did you avoid me?"

"You said I was like my father. And, I'll be honest, in that moment, I hated you." He admitted.

"Draco, I'm so sorry I said that. I was mad and-" she stopped, "No. There's no excuse for me saying that. I know you're not like him. Sorry."

"I don't want to be him, Hermione, I don't. When you said that to me, I thought that I'd failed, that I _had_ turned into him. So while I was hating you, I was hating myself as well." He gripped her shoulders, "I know you're sorry, and so am I," he took a breath, "I give you my word that I'll _try_ not to be jealous. I can't say it won't happen again, but I'll try my best."

Hermione smiled, "And I'll try not to get mad if you do."

He cupped her face, and she placed her hands on his, "We're okay?"

"Yeah, we're okay."

He leaned down and kissed her gently. "You look busy," he said nodding at the mass of books and parchment spread across the floor and table, "I'll leave you to it." He moved towards the stairs.

"Draco?" he turned around, she was looking at him with a rueful smile, "You're not him."

Draco smiled back at her, and headed up the stairs.

* * *

 **A/N:** Cheers for the support, it's much appreciated :)

The little story that was CH1, has taken on a life of it's own...I just hope I can continue to get the words out of my brain and onto the page.


	5. Chapter 5

It was only a small whimper, but the unfamiliar sound woke him.

His room was still dark and a quick glance at the clock beside his bed told him it was 4am. He instantly knew he wasn't alone. She had obviously crawled in with him after he'd left her in the common room following their discussion the previous evening. He hadn't expected her to be there, he figured she'd still be pissed at him, regardless of their apologies, but she _was_ there and the feeling of her presence in his bed was overwhelming. During the two weeks that he'd been avoiding her, he hadn't realised just how much he had become accustomed to sharing his bed with her, and he suddenly missed her on all those nights they had been apart.

He could feel the light touch of her fingertips on his back, the only part of her that was touching him, but it was enough. Enough to know that she had returned, that they hadn't totally fucked everything up. His jealousy had gotten the better of him and he would have to learn to rein it in, to trust her completely. But when you grew up with Lucius Malfoy as your father, trust was hard thing to believe in. Fear had been the norm, not trust. She had apologised and reassured him that he was nothing like his father and when he thought about it, her opinion was the only one that mattered, he honestly didn't care who else thought him as such.

Another small whimper came from behind him and he rolled to face her. He grabbed his wand, casting a charm that bathed the bed in a warm yellow glow, and his heart sank at what he saw. She was on her back, her face screwed up as if in pain. Another whimper left her, this time louder and more agonised. Her arm was flung out to the side reaching for him, when suddenly her back arched and she cried out.

"No!" it was a loud, agonised groan, the pain in her voice was clear, "NO! Stop. NO!" A strangled cry pierced the air, sending shivers down his spine.

His arrogant mind had allowed him to think that he was the reason she hadn't been sleeping, that she was upset that they'd fought, but he was way off. This was what had been keeping her awake; the scars that held the nightmares. And he hadn't been there to help.

That scream had been seared into his brain. It was a sound that he had only heard once before, and he would never forgive his aunt, because now he was hearing it again. And he would never ever forgive her for branding her like she had; a constant reminder of that night that Hermione didn't deserve.

He'd been in the manor, he'd heard the screams and he'd done nothing to stop it. The fear he felt had rendered him incapable of helping her. He was certain that his aunt would have turned him in as a traitor and allow the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters kill him in an instant had he stepped in. Her loyalty was to them only; her family was of no concern in her crazed state.

Hearing that same sound coming from her now made his stomach turn.

He sat up and shook her lightly, "Hermione! Wake up!" Her back arched again, and she pushed at him trying to get away.

"No," she choked out, "No, I took nothing."

"Wake up!" he almost yelled at her, and her eyes flew open.

Her eyes were panicked, darting around and finally landing on him. She pushed at him again, "No, please. No more."

He cupped her face, "Hey, its okay," he assured her, brushing his thumbs across her cheeks, "It's okay, Hermione, you're safe. She's not here, only me."

She was gasping for breath, her eyes filling with tears. She touched his face, checking that he was real, that the terror had stopped. She held her arm up, glancing at the mark and then looking away just as quick. She closed her eyes, shaking her head almost violently, "She's in my head and I can't get her out." She whispered, and then her tears fell in earnest.

Draco pulled her close, engulfing her in his arms and holding her tight. He lay there listing to her, his heart breaking as harsh sobs wracked her body. What exactly had Belatrix done to her? The brand on her arm was bad enough, but it seemed the internal scars were infinitely worse. He thanked Merlin that Molly Weasley had killed his aunt, because right now, he wanted to kill her himself, and given the opportunity, he would happily spend the rest of his life in Azkaban for the privilege.

He lay with her huddled against him, while she cried into his chest. He tucked his chin against the top of her head and just held her. It could have been minutes or it could have been hours, he didn't care. She was in pain and he was partially to blame. He berated himself for not stepping in that night, for allowing his fear and his father to dictate his actions. For not standing up when he knew it was the right thing to do. All his father had cared about was delivering Harry to the Dark Lord, ensuring that Lucius Malfoy would be back in his good graces. The man had cared nothing for his family. He cared only for the glory of the Malfoy name. But if he was honest, his mother had not acted any better. It was not until his own life was in danger that his mother, in her desperation to learn her son's fate had begged Harry – the sworn enemy - to tell her. And it was with that simple nod she realised that she was on the wrong side.

He traced his fingers in circles across her back, attempting to sooth the sobs. Her breathing began to even out, the sobs turning to small, choking gasps as she tried to regain some semblance of control.

How long had the nightmares been going on? They'd been sharing a bed for almost two months and had never heard her scream, not once. He hadn't seen the panicked look on her face, or the terror in her eyes. He had only seen the peaceful and content Hermione; the terrified version was a shock. She always held herself together, strong and defiant, never allowing anyone to see the cracks. But clearly they were there, in a giant, almost empty space that held only the memory of the manor and his aunt.

She reached down and cupped him, squeezing him roughly. He winced and his stomach clenched at her rough handling of him, "Draco, please. I need you. Make her go away."

He grabbed her wrist, and pulled it away from him, "Hermione, no. Not like this. It won't help." She struggled against his grip, trying to reach for him, but he held her at bay, "She's not in your head, she's not here, she's not anywhere. Molly made sure of that."

At the mention of Molly's name, Hermione stopped struggling and looked up at him, "She's not here?"

Draco shook his head, "No, she's gone. She's not coming back." He let go of her wrist and scooched down the bed so his face was level with hers. He cupped her jaw, "She's gone, you know she's gone." he repeated, "She _can't_ come back. She can't hurt you anymore. Not ever."

He reached for her arm, and not taking his eyes off hers, he gently ran his fingers across the mark his aunt had left, "She should never have done this to you. You shouldn't have to see this for the rest of your life. But if you don't fight her, and get her out of your head, she wins. Don't let her. You're stronger than her, _so_ much stronger than her. She was nasty and cruel, and a she was a coward. She was everything you're not."

She was watching him as he spoke, but he wasn't sure if she was hearing him. Her eyes were lost, almost vacant, the pain of her memories evident in the blackness that swirled in them and robbed her of the spark that her friends had only so recently noticed.

"Talk to me," He said quietly, "Tell me what happens."

Hermione swallowed hard, not sure if she could tell him. She had only shared her nightmares with Molly Weasley. Harry, Ginny and Ron; none of them knew, and while she trusted and loved her friends, she couldn't tell them. The darkness was all consuming and she refused to allow them to bear any of her burden. Even Harry.

Harry had lived his entire life with Voldemort in his head. He had fought his own demons. He was even given the choice between life and death, however, he got to take down his nemesis, ending the voices, and the pain. And unlike herself, he had never been tortured; he had not had the searing pain of a Death Eater tearing him apart from the inside, filling him with the darkness that now resided in her.

She hated the feeling; the complete lack of control. It was a constant fight between exhaustion and fear. She needed to sleep, but didn't want to close her eyes. Talking to Molly had helped, so maybe if she let Draco in, he could help. He was there that night, after all. Maybe he would understand the darkness, the pain and agony. Surely he had heard the screams.

She pressed her forehead against his, "I see her," she said, "Just her. And I feel her, and I can't get away. It doesn't matter if I run, she's always there." Her face twitched in a flash of pain, "I feel her in my head, digging and searching, and the pain...it feels like it burns." She choked out a cry, and he held her face.

"Don't let her stay there," he encouraged, "She doesn't belong in your head."

She took several slow breaths and closed her eyes, "Everything is dark and cold, she's breathing all over me and I can't move. I feel trapped and alone."

"But you weren't alone," he said, "Harry and Ron were there, and they did everything they could to get you out."

She opened her eyes and he saw a glimmer of peace, "They did get me out."

He pressed a kiss to her forehead, "They did. They took you away from her and kept you safe. They took you to where she couldn't hurt you, and she now _can't_ hurt you. Not ever. You're safe."

She reached up and brushed the hair from his eyes, tracing her fingers along his forehead, across his cheek, her thumb skimming over his lips. She said nothing, just watched him, her face becoming calm and her eyes beginning to clear.

He wanted asked what she was thinking, but he'd already spent enough time in her head, so instead her asked her a simple _Are you okay?_

She nodded, and pressed her forehead against his, not moving, not speaking, just breathing him in.

* * *

Neither of them had moved when the morning light began to sneak its way around the heavy drapes that adorned the windows. Draco was still holding her when his eyes fluttered open. He guessed they both dozed off at some stage, and he was relieved to see the pain gone from her face.

He watched her for several minutes, making sure she was still in a deep sleep, not wanting to leave her. But he wanted to see Professor McGonagall, to tell her Hermione would not be in classes that day. He slipped quietly out of the bed, careful not to wake her. He padded quietly across the cold floor headed for the bathroom. He left the door open, listening for her, and splashed water on his face, dressing quickly. He glanced at her, she had shifted onto her back, her arm flung over her head, he crossed his fingers in the hope that she'd sleep for a few more hours. He moved to the door and was startled when the Professor entered the common room, as he exited his bedroom.

 _Shit_ he thought, and left the door open slightly and since the door to his room was just at the top of the stairs, he hoped that if Hermione _did_ wake, she would hear their voices and stay put.

"Ah, Mr Malfoy," McGonagall said, "Glad you're awake. Is Miss Granger up and about?"

"Um, no Professor," Draco said, "I was actually coming to see you. She's not feeling well. I don't think she should be in class today."

"Do I need to call Madame Pomfrey?" The Professor asked.

"Not just yet. I think she's just exhausted. She's already panicked about our exams." he hoped she bought the small lie he just told.

McGonagall gave him a knowing nod, "Yes, well she is one of our most conscientious students, I imagine that she is in quite a state."

Of course, Hermione chose that moment to step out of his room. He assumed in her state of exhaustion she missed the ajar door, and the voices from below. She stopped at the top of the stairs, looking down at them both, her face blank.

"Is there a reason why Miss Granger is leaving your room this early in the morning?" Professor McGonagall asked her face stern.

"It's not what you think Professor," Draco said, and gestured for Hermione to join them. He gently took her arm and held it out to her so she could see the scar, "Hermione had a nightmare. She has them frequently. Belatrix has left her with some pretty nasty memories. I heard her screaming. It was four a-m, and I didn't want to wake Ginny or Pansy, so I made her sleep in my bed. That's all that happened, you have my word."

The Professor looked at Hermione's arm. She'd heard the rumours, but had never seen it for herself. Hermione kept it well hidden. Her face softened when she saw the distraught look on Hermione's face, and she surprised the pair by stepping forward and embracing her, "Hermione, my dear girl, what ever did she do to you?"

Hermione felt the tears well up in her eyes as the professor hugged her, "She hurt me and she got in my head again. I shouldn't have let her."

Professor McGonagall held her at arm's length, "I will take some time, my dear. Molly Weasley did the world a service by ridding it of that beastly creature...apologies Mr Malfoy."

Draco waved her apology away, "No need professor, that's a pretty accurate description."

"You have already won one war, Miss Granger, and I know what you are capable of. I am certain you can win this one."

"Thank you, Professor." Hermione said with a small smile.

"Mr Malfoy, I'm sure that Miss Granger appreciates the gesture of your help, however, if this was to occur again, I ask that you call for Miss Weasley or Miss Parkinson, or even myself, before you offer her your bed."

Draco nodded, "Yes Professor, sorry."

"Now, Miss Granger, I don't expect to see you in any of your classes today, and I will inform your professors as such," McGonagall said, "And Mr Malfoy, I expect you to stay here and ensure she doesn't try to sneak out."

"Will do Professor," Draco said with a nod, "She won't go anywhere."

* * *

They were curled together on the sofa, Hermione's legs draped over Draco's lap, his hand gently rubbing along her bare calf, his other arm was draped over her legs, his hand resting on her hip. She was still in her pyjama's; a pair of sleep shorts that came only to her mid-thigh, and a t-shirt with some muggle band on it – Nirvana - he wasn't sure why a band would call themselves that, he thought it was a state of mind; muggles were odd.

It had been a struggle to get her to stay. She insisted she was fine – _of course she was fine_ ; _there was nothing wrong –_ and she had argued with him that classes would be the best thing for her, that they were too close to exams to miss an entire day. But he refused, telling her that if the Headmistress said she was to stay put, he would ensure that it happened.

"When did the nightmares start again?" Draco asked.

Hermione flinched at his question, the nightmares had started a few days after their fight, but if she told him, he would only blame himself. When she _had_ slept, it being fleeting and fitful, she had cast a silencing charm over her room so he wouldn't hear her.

"Hermione, please tell me?" He brushed her cheek, "Was it after our fight?"

She felt the tears again, and gave him a small nod.

"So it was my fault, I caused this again. I was too much of a coward to stop her the first time and I made her come back and terrorise you yet again."

"Draco, no. This is not your fault, none of it. You couldn't have stopped her, you would have been killed. You refused to identify us, there was not much more you could have done. And this is the first time I've had nightmares in months."

"Really?"

She nodded, "Really. Not since before Christmas. Not since I've not been sleeping alone." It was when she said the words out loud, she realised that they were true. She hadn't had a nightmare, not even an unpleasant dream, since Draco started sleeping beside her, "You may not have been able to help that night, but you've helped me since then Draco, more than you realise."

He took her hand linking their fingers, "You've been through more than any one person should have to."

"You went through it too." She touched his arm. She had seen his mark as often as he'd seen hers.

"We've never talked about that night." Draco noted, "We've barely talked about any of it."

Draco was right; they had never talked about the events of that night, the events that had changed them both. At the time it was a battle of power, of good and evil, of sacrifice and survival. Now in the aftermath the battle of survival continued. She hadn't even talked about it with Harry and Ron. Molly was the only one who she had been able to share her torment with, and even then it took Molly weeks to get her to talk.

"I just don't know if I can." Hermione admitted.

"It might help," he suggested.

She twisted her face into a thoughtful look, not even sure what she should tell him, "There was a reason I learned to do wandless magic. It's the only positive thing that Belatrix left me with. I never wanted to be trapped like that again. I hated being powerless, having no way of escaping," she shrugged, "I pretty much didn't sleep the whole of last summer because of the nightmares, so I made use of the time and taught myself."

"You taught yourself?" He knew she was talented, but there would be very few witches or wizards that could achieve wandless magic on their own, or even at all. Hermione nodded and shrugged, as if it was nothing, "You're amazing."

"I did what I needed to do to help me though. Clearly I wasn't successful."

"Hermione, you can do wandless, silent magic. I think that's a pretty big success. As far as I'm aware there are only two others that have been able to do that. And I'm sure they didn't teach themselves."

She sighed, "I know, but it seems nothing has changed."

"Hermione, do you know what made _me_ change?" he asked her and she shook her head, "You. You, Harry, Ron; the whole dammed lot of you, even Longbottom."

She frowned at him, "How's that?"

"On that last day, at Hogwarts, when The Order stood up against Voldemort, when Harry came back and the Death Eaters abandoned each other. On that day, that's when I knew I was on the wrong side. I watched as you all stood side by side, putting your own lives at risk and not caring about the consequences. None of you abandoned each other. You had each other's backs. That's when I knew I needed to change. That I couldn't keep going on the path I was on."

"You had no choice, Draco, we all know that."

"I know. But I had the opportunity to stand with you all, to not go to my father when he demanded. I could have made the decision right there-"

Hermione squeezed his hand, "No, you saved your mothers' life. If you had stayed on our side, she surely would have been killed."

"I guess. I still feel like a coward."

"You shouldn't," she reassured him, "You did what was right at the time. That doesn't make you a coward. And it proves that you're nothing like your father. You put him and your mother before yourself. That's an incredibly selfless act."

"Thanks," he gave her a rueful smile, "But it's still going to take time to reconcile my decisions, regardless of what was happening at the time. Everyone tells me I've changed, and I know I have, but there's still a lot of self doubt. Besides, I wasn't the only selfless one, you, Harry and Ron. You all threw yourselves into the war without any thought. You just did what had to be done, and didn't care about your own lives."

"I don't know about that," she mused, "We spent so much time hunting horcruxes, constantly looking over our shoulders, constantly afraid. Every day we thought would be our last and we were on our own for so long, we thought that maybe everyone in the Order, our families and our friends, would think us dead and give up hope. It was a daily struggle, just to keep going."

"What about your parents? Where were they during all of this?"

She closed her eyes and sucked in a breath. He didn't know, she thought everyone knew.

Draco touched her cheek, "Hermione?" He said quietly.

She swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat, "I guess I'm not as great a witch as most people think," she looked up at him, his brow was furrowed, "Before we left to find horcruxes, I used the _obliviate_ charm on them. I wanted to keep them safe, and I asked The Ministry to move them somewhere they wouldn't be found by the Death Eaters and used as leverage against me. They sent them both to Australia. But when we went to retrieve them," she shrugged one shoulder, "I guess I used a stronger spell than I should have. They don't remember me. Or that they lived here. Or, well, anything really."

"I'm so sorry," Draco said rubbing his thumb across her hand.

"I check in on them from time to time, but it's just too hard." She took a steadying breath, "But it okay. It's not like I'm alone with no one in my life. I have my friends, and Molly and Arthur treat me like I'm one of their own."

"You're lucky to have them."

"Draco, oh! I'm sorry. Your parents..." Hermione winced at herself, both his parents were in prison.

"Its fine," he said squeezing her calf, "Lucius is dead to me and mother will be out soon. So I think of Pansy and Blaise as my family now. And now I have you."

"This is true," she said taking his hand, "Funny how things just seem to have worked out."

* * *

"Do you need some company?"

"No," she said, "I'll be fine."

After almost two hours on the sofa, and an almost sleepless night, Hermione decided she needed a shower. Her body ached, and her skin felt like it was attempting to slide of her body. In hindsight, she was grateful that McGonagall had made her forgo her classes; she doubted that she'd have taken anything in. She wouldn't admit that to Draco though, the smugness would be unbearable.

She closed her eyes as she stood under the hot water, washing the day and the remains of the previous night from her skin. _Washing the last week from her skin_ , she thought. She tried to keep the thoughts of Belatrix from flooding her mind, as she always did. She had been successful for months now, however, she was still Hermione Granger and the niggling thoughts still ate away at her mind. She wondered if the darkness would truly disappear.

"Hey, you've been in here a while," Draco's voice was quiet behind her, "Are you okay?"

She turned to face him, her eyes welling up with tears, "No," she choked out as the tears fell down her cheeks.

Draco stripped off and stepped into the shower, pulling her to him, allowing her to cry against his chest. He kissed her wet hair, and rested his cheek on the top of her head. He held her tightly while she cried.

"Sorry," she said after she finally regained her composure.

"You don't need to apologise. You need to do whatever it takes to get her out of your head."

She reached down between them and began stroking him. He pulled back from her grip, taking her hand, and shaking his head, "This might help."

"No," he kissed the palm of her hand, "Not until you're ready."

"I am ready Draco, it's been too long."

He grinned at her, "Two weeks is too long?"

She narrowed her eyes at him, but he saw a tiny spark and his heart soared. It was what he needed to see. His aunt had not completely destroyed her. McGonagall was right; it would take some time, but he realised that by simply making her talk about what happened had helped, and if he continued to do so, he was sure Hermione would rid herself completely of the horrors that Belatrix had left.

"Do you remember what you told me on that first night?" she asked, and he frowned thinking about what he could have possibly said, "You told me not to be so nice to you. So I'll say the same thing to you."

He smiled and shook his head, "It's still not going to happen."

She huffed in frustration, "Why not!? I don't understand why you're saying no."

He cupped her face, staring straight into her eyes, "Because I love you. And I don't ever want to see the hurt in your eyes when we're together. I only want to see you." This wasn't exactly how he had wanted to tell her; naked in the shower after a night of sheer terror on her behalf. It wasn't the most romantic of places, but then, he guessed, maybe it was.

Her breath caught. Harry had slipped up and told her Draco's true feelings, but to hear him say it, say the actual words, was still a shock. She stared right back at him, before twisting her lips into a smile. She brushed her fingers across his forehead, taking in his features, his blonde hair and his pale skin and those amazing blue-grey eyes. She loved him, and had been falling in love with him since...well, since before their first night together.

It was why she had gone to him that night. Why she had told Blaise and Pansy to let her talk to him. She had not gone to him with the intention of it going that far, but she was delighted that it had. He was right, he had changed, and those changes had allowed her to see a Draco she never thought existed. He had proven himself intelligent and studious; kind and thoughtful. The old Draco was still there, the jealousy, the anger and the possessiveness. And while those traits angered her, she knew that was all new to him – and her – and it was more from frustration that he had acted out, than any real anger.

And now he was telling her that he loved her. Draco Malfoy loved her. It was not something that she had ever contemplated, not ever. She pressed up onto her toes and wrapped her arms around his neck, "And I love you too." She whispered against his ear.

He engulfed her, wrapping his arms around her naked body, pulling her close and hugging her tightly. He breathed her in, sighing in relief. Harry and Ron had told him that she loved him, but he was reluctant to believe them. He pulled back to look at her, sure that her smile reflected his own. He leaned in and kissed her, a slow, lingering kiss. And with that it dawned on her why he had said no. He didn't want the nightmares and the darkness to play any part in this, and neither did she.

"Thank you," she said.

"For what?" he asked.

"For not having sex with me."

Draco threw his head back and laughed, "I'm not sure I want to be thanked for that!"

"You know what I mean. You could have just done what I asked, and I would have been fine for about a minute and a half, and then it would have all come back again," she pressed her hand against his chest, "I like this version of you."

"Better than the old version?" he asked.

She shrugged, "Not better, just different."

"Interesting," he said with a smirk, "I thought you _hated_ the old Draco."

The spark intensified in her eyes, and she smirked back, "I never _hated_ you, disliked immensely, but never hated."

Draco snorted, "You really don't know how to lie, do you?"

She tilted her head to the side and shot him contemptuous look, "I know how to lie."

"No, you really don't, but kudos for trying." He laughed, "You hated me, and I hated you in return."

She shook her head, "No, you're wrong. I didn't _hate_ you. I just didn't like you very much, that's all."

He brushed a hand across his jaw, "Yeah, well, I had a bruised jaw for a week that says otherwise."

"You deserved that, you were being an arse."

"Maybe," he said, "But being punch by a girl did nothing for my ego. And the relentless teasing that went with it was delightful."

She laughed, "I think your ego remained intact."

He reached around her and turned off the water, stepping out of the shower and tossing a towel her way, "You feeling better?"

"I am," she said, drying herself off, "Thanks."

"Just glad I could help."

She pulled on her jeans and his Slytherin t-shirt, not missing Draco's sideways glance that came with the infamous Malfoy smirk.

"What?" She asked knowing full well the answer. He'd marked his territory, she was his, and by the simple act of wearing his t-shirt, everyone would know.

"Nothing," he said feigning ignorance.

She rolled her eyes, "I'd rather wear your t-shirt than get pissed on."

He screwed up his face, "Um, that's revolting. Why would you get pissed on? Who would do that to you?"

She leaned up on her toes and kissed him, "Ask Blaise. Apparently it's a guy thing."


	6. Chapter 6

"Our last night, huh?" Draco said, watching as Hermione surveyed their almost empty dorm.

They had returned from their final feast in The Great Hall, the eighth year students deciding to join their house tables to say their final goodbyes. To finish where they began was the idea. The feast had been loud and raucous, and the House Cup was awarded to Slytherin. Draco, Pansy and Blaise had glared smugly across the hall from their places at the Slytherin table at their former Gryffindor rivals when the announcement was made, before collapsing with laughter as Hermione, Harry and Ron rolled their eyes and shook their heads at the miserable attempt to intimidate them.

The party had flowed out of the Great Hall and into the castle, continuing on into the House common rooms; a dual celebration of it being a year since the war had ended, and the final year at Hogwarts for the seventh and eighth year students. Hermione told Draco that she'd meet him in the Heads dorm in an hour, and headed off to celebrate with her fellow Gryffindors.

Draco was waiting when she returned, smiling as she came through the door, happy and relaxed; the stress of the last two years seeming to have left her – at least for the night anyway. The improvement in her since they had been talking about what had happened had been remarkable. The nightmares had stopped again, hopefully for longer this time, but he was sure if they returned they would be able deal with them together.

Their trunks were packed, laying open, waiting for those last minute belongings to be added the next morning. Their discarded school jumpers and ties had been tossed unceremoniously on top of each one. He stepped up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Yeah," she said, "Our last night."

"Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine. This year was not what I was expecting." She told him.

"What were you expecting?"

"I'm not really sure now," she turned slightly to look at him over her shoulder and smiled, "But I'm pretty happy with the outcome."

Draco kissed her behind the ear, "Glad to hear it," he whispered, his hand slid up her body, coming to rest just beneath her breast.

"What are you thinking?" She asked.

The hand holding her hip increased its grip and he pulled her back against him. His mouth descended on her neck, "I'm thinking that it's our last night here and maybe we should leave our mark on this room."

"Hmmm," Hermione responded, reaching behind him to grab his arse, "Maybe we shouldn't do this out here. Blaise walked in on us once, I really don't want the entire group walking in for the show."

Draco sniggered and stepped back, holding his hand out towards her, "Come with me."

Hermione grinned at him as he dragged her up the stairs, "And where are you taking me, Mr Malfoy?"

"There's a very comfortable bed that I'd like to show you."

"Really," she quirked an eyebrow at him, "And what did you plan on doing after you show me this bed?"

Draco pulled her into his bedroom and kicked the door shut. He pulled her against him and whispered in her ear, "I plan on stripping you slowly and kissing every inch of your skin."

Hermione slid her fingers through his hair, closing her eyes and breathing him in, "That sounds amazing, and after you do that...?"

"And then I plan on fucking you until you scream my name."

Hermione tried to hold her laughter, but couldn't. She felt Draco's teeth dig into her shoulder, his body shaking as he laughed with her.

"Oh, really," she said between gasps of air, "And then what?"

"I don't know now," he laughed, "Sorry."

She pulled back from him, reaching out and unbuttoning his shirt, "How about we just start with the first part?"

"That I can do," he smirked at her. He shrugged out of his shirt and began on hers, taking his time, kissing each piece of exposed skin as he slowly loosened each button. He slid her shirt down her arms, and reached behind her, finding the zipper on her skirt and sliding it down, Gravity took over and her skirt dropped to the floor. She kicked it away and stood before him, a vision in white lace causing a not unpleasant pull low in his belly.

He stepped into her, pulling her close and brushed his fingertips along her back, drawing goose bumps along her skin. His lips pressed gentle kisses along her neck, finding that spot behind her ear that caused her breath to hitch and she felt him smile against her skin as a small sigh fell from her mouth. He turned her towards the bed, gently easing her back to the mattress.

She shifted further up the bed, leaning back on the pillows, watching as he removed his own pants and boxer-briefs and crawled up the bed to hover over her. He looked down at her, his gaze had intensified, he was suddenly serious, the laughter from just minutes ago forgotten. He kissed her, a soft, gentle kiss that said more than any of the previous exchanges the two had shared, and she instantly knew that this would be different. He was quiet, taking his time. Hermione reached up and cupped his jaw, taking in his features; she had never anticipated the reverence that was etched on his face, the tenderness of his touch.

"Breathtaking," he said quietly, his mouth pressing softly against hers, "Beautiful...stunning...perfect" each word accentuated by another soft kiss. His mouth trailed across her jaw, along her neck, dipping his tongue into the hollow of her throat. His fingers curled behind her back, finding the clasp of her bra and freeing her from the white lace.

She shivered beneath him, as his mouth travelled lower to the valley between her breasts, his name falling from her lips and whispered into the silence. His mouth found the taut peak of her nipple while her fingers moved through his hair. He circled his tongue around the sensitive bud and then clamped his lips down, sucking hard. She arched beneath him, silently demanding more, and he bit down, grazing his teeth against the swollen nub. He switched to her other breast, sucking and biting at her nipple until it was red and swollen and matched the first.

His mouth moved lower, kissing the heated flesh over her ribs, down to her navel. Her hips jerked beneath him and he chuckled against her skin, his teeth grazing the edge of her underwear. He drew the lace down her legs, worshipping her skin as he kissed his way back up her inner thigh. He dipped down between her thighs and a breathy moan left her mouth. He licked and sucked at her, her hands gripping his hair, her hips lifting off the mattress to meet his mouth, he looked up at her and almost came undone at the sight. Her eyes were closed, her head thrown back and mouth open gasping and moaning as he dragged his tongue through her.

Her fingernails dug into his scalp in a painful grip while he lapped repeatedly through her slit. Quiet whimpers escaped her as he kissed her clit before lowering his lips over the sensitive nub and sucking gently on it. She rocked against him, tiny pelvic thrusts against his mouth as his tongue worked over her. He thrust two fingers into her, her back arching, her thighs tensing against his cheeks.

"Draco," she whispered, her body writhing beneath his mouth.

Draco grinned against her heated flesh, knowing she was close. He increased the pressure, his fingers thrusting harder. A few more swipes with his tongue across her sensitive nub had her climaxing tightly around his fingers, crying out his name.

She expected him to crawl up over her, but he remained still, "Draco?" she said quietly.

"Hermione," he hesitated for a second, "Can you roll over for me?"

She smiled at him, and rolled to her front, holding herself up on her elbows, "Like this?"

He dragged his bottom lip between his teeth, "Yeah," he breathed, "Is this okay?"

"This is perfect." She assured him.

He leaned forward and brushed her hair back from her shoulders, pressing his lips to her neck, slowly kissing his way down her spine. His hand brushed across her arse and squeezed gently, before kissing his way back up to her neck, shifting over her and positioning himself between her legs. His hard length brushed against her arse, causing her to shudder. Tiny jolts of pleasure shot through her as he resumed kissing the bare skin of her back and shoulders. She pushed herself up slightly to look over her shoulder. Draco smiled at her, and leaned in to capture her mouth.

"Oh!" She gasped, as his fingers slipped around her and caressed her nipple, tugging, pulling and twisting at the hardened bud.

"Tell me," He whispered, his mouth moving to her neck, planting wet kisses on her flushed skin, "Tell me how it feels."

"Good," she whispered back, her breathing becoming erratic.

"How good?" He asked, his tongue flicking over her ear.

"So good," she moaned, "So fucking good."

He placed another kiss between her shoulder blades, and ran his hand down her ribs, over the curve of her arse, stopping between her legs. Draco watched as her body flushed, her breaths becoming more and more erratic, his fingers working inside her were coated with her arousal.

"Are you ready for me?" Draco asked.

"So ready." She replied and lifted her hips slightly.

He shifted behind her, taking himself in hand and pushing into her. He gripped her hips, sinking into her until her arse was pressed against his pelvis. He groaned and squeezed his eyes shut, the feeling of being so deep inside her was almost too much.

Hermione reached back blindly, her arm flailing, trying to grab him, "Draco, help."

He frowned, taking a second to realise what she wanted. He leaned forward, his hands sliding beneath her and he pulled her up so her back was pressed against his chest. She moaned as the movement pushed him deeper into her, filling and stretching her. He placed one hand on her hip, the other slid to her stomach tracing patterns around her navel, moving up her ribs and coming to rest at the bottom of her breast. Her head dropped back to his shoulder, sighing at his gentle touch.

His fingers stroked the swell of her breast, sliding over her taught nipple, twisting it gently. Hermione's breath quickened, a moan rising from deep in her throat. He kissed his way down her neck, sucking at the place where it met her shoulder, drawing another sigh from her. His hand shifted from her hip sliding down between her thighs and she covered it with her own, dragging their linked fingers lower, feeling the spot where he was buried inside her. He began to move, long, slow thrusts through her wet heat, her fingers feeling him as he slid through her.

Hermione rolled her hips, meeting his thrusts, shifting her hand from between her thighs to meet his hand that was on her stomach. She ground against him, the tip of his cock sliding against the perfect spot inside her. Her body shuddered as he thrust up into her, his fingers rolling over her clit. He repeated the movement, each thrust harder than the last. Her hand scrambled back, gripping his hip as the pressure built, their hips slamming together as they rode each other. His fingers continued to toy with her clit, the other hand back on her breast, twisting and pulling roughly at her nipple. She was moaning, loud expletives falling from her mouth, begging him for more.

He pushed her forward and she fell onto her outstretched arms. He gripped her hips and took her roughly, slamming into her over and over. He could feel her growing wetter, her insides pulsing around him. He reached for her clit, rubbing it in time with his thrusts. She was whimpering as her pleasure began to reach its crescendo. A strangled cry escaped her, as her body gripped the thick length of him.

Hermione gasped at the heat that was building inside her. This was different. This was new. She felt as if every nerve ending in her body was concentrated at the one point that Draco was repeatedly slamming into. The combined pleasure of his hand on her clit and his thick length inside her had her gasping, almost whining, as a tight knot of pleasure rushed through her body. She let out a wailing moan, her body stiffening, her hips slamming back hard onto him. Her body shuddered as a rush of liquid gushed down between her thighs, coating his cock.

Draco cried out in surprise, before losing the tiny sliver of control he had. He gripped her hips and slammed into her, thrusting hard and fast through her spasming walls. He threw his head back and groaned out her name as he jerked and swelled inside her, following her own explosion with one of his own.

Hermione's arms buckled and she fell to the mattress, Draco slipping out of her. She shuddered at the sensation, her body still sensitive and every nerve alight.

Draco looked down between them, his completely spent cock hanging limply between his legs, covered in the wetness that had exploded from her body. He was stunned. He ran a finger across his wet skin, not believing what had just happened. He shifted to lie down beside her, and she turned her head to face him.

"Holy fuck," she whispered and laughed.

"Holy fuck indeed," Draco answered placing a kiss to her shoulder, "Fuck Hermione. That was..."

"Intense." She finished for him, "I don't think I can move."

Draco laughed, "Then don't." He curled against her side, wrapping an arm across her back, "Are you okay?" He asked her gently.

"Better than okay." She didn't think she'd ever felt this good in her life, "So amazingly okay Draco."

He kissed her forehead, "Good."

"I've never..." She closed her eyes, she'd never felt so exhausted and so content at the same time in her life, "That's never happened before."

"Never?" Draco couldn't contain the smirk that crossed his face.

"Never," she repeated, "You're the first to make me do that."

"First, huh?

Hermione couldn't help the bubble of laughter that escaped her, "Yes, first."

He leaned in and kissed her, "Finally."

"Are you being smug?" Hermione opened her eyes to look at him.

"Smug?" Draco raised his eyebrows at her, the smirk still plastered across his face, "No, not smug. Just feeling a complete sense of pride in myself."

"Sounds like smug to me," She teased and gave him a satisfied smile, "I'm glad that happened with you."

"Me too," he said.

Draco watched as sleep slowly took hold of her. She had a small smile on her lips as her eyes closed. He leaned in and kissed her, breathing her in. He knew that this was it. He loved her. He loved her completely and with his whole being. He closed his eyes, feeling her body relax against his. She was his, and now that he had her, he would never let her go.

* * *

It was time to leave.

Hermione had achieved the highest possible scores in all of her classes with the exception of one; Potions. Draco had managed to beat her, and didn't he let her know. She had laughed, and allowed him his smugness, reminding him of her success when he became overbearing

She had surprised everyone, including Draco, by deciding to become a Healer at St. Mungos. They had all pegged her for a Ministry job, Harry and Ron even going as far to wonder if the reason she'd chosen that path was because Draco would be working at the Potions Lab there. She had slapped them both, telling them they should know better. That there was no way that anyone, including Draco, would have any influence over the decision she made regarding her own future.

Draco was secretly delighted that they would be working together, even though they would be working in completely different fields. He kept his excitement in check, not wanting Hermione to think that he would use their combined work place to keep an eye on her; he wouldn't, of course, but the whole jealously thing was something he was still working on and he needed her to believe that he trusted her wholly. Still, it didn't change the fact he was pleased that he would be near her every day.

St Mungos had accepted them both eagerly. To have both the brightest witch and wizard that Hogwarts had produced in many years wanting join them, well, they couldn't have been more pleased.

Harry and Ron had both been accepted into the ministry's auror offices with as much excitement as Hermione and Draco's appointment at St Mungos. The two 'war heroes' joining the ministry was a great advert, and a major part of the reason Hermione wanted nothing to do with it. She had no desire to become a poster girl for The Ministry, and not do any actual work.

Pansy would be joining Draco, her potions score was outstanding, equalling Hermione's. Not that they were surprised, she had excelled at potions during her entire eight years at Hogwarts. Ginny had accepted the spot as seeker for the Holyhead Harpies, and Gwenog Jones was letting everyone know about it. She also looked to be taking up a job as a sports reporter at The Daily Prophet.

And Blaise. Blaise had no idea what he was going to do. His scores were as high as those of the others, but he was fairly nonchalant about his future, with the exception that he knew he was definitely _not_ going to work for his father. An office job was not for him.

Hermione had laughed and told him to take a gap year, give himself time to think about exactly where his future lay. He had given her a quizzical look, not understanding the muggle term. She explained that he should take a year off to travel, or work in a dozen menial jobs until he decided what suited him. He might be surprised and find something completely unexpected suited him.

Hermione and Harry were sitting together on the wide stone ledge in one of the archways that surrounded the rebuilt courtyard, waiting for the others.

"What is it Harry?" Hermione asked, noticing the odd look on his face.

He looked at her, "I was just thinking that it's been an interesting year."

"More interesting than the last few years?"

"Much more interesting, I'd say," He bumped her with his shoulder, "I mean, seriously Hermione, did you ever expect Ron and Pansy to get together?"

Hermione snorted a laugh, "Pansy and Ron? No, never. Weirdest couple ever."

"Oh, I don't know," Harry grinned at her, "Malfoy and me becoming friends is pretty weird."

"Friends?" Hermione's eyes went wide, in mock surprise, "Rumour is that there's something more going on between the two of you. I heard you were moving in together.

 **DM#HG**

Hermione had been at a loss as to where she would live after school had finished. The previous summer she stayed with the Weasley's, and had organised The Ministry to oversee the sale of her parents' house. The fact that her parents weren't dead, but had no memory of their home in England, was more muggle red tape than she could possibly or even know how to deal with.

She had more than enough money from the sale of the house to purchase a place of her own, but that would take time, and with her new position at St Mungos starting in just over a month, she didn't think she would have time to put in the effort required to find something suitable.

"You can stay with me. There's more than enough room at my place," Harry had told her, "I had it completely redone while we we've been at school. In fact, you can have an entire floor to yourself."

"Are you sure, Harry?" Hermione asked, "Because I'm sure I can find somewhere to stay."

"Hey, you're my family," Harry told her, "And Sirius would want family in his home."

Harry had inherited Grimmauld Place from Sirius and during the war it had been used as the headquarters for The Order. Now that they had finished with it, it would be his home. He, like Hermione, didn't want to return to the Weasley's. They had both been grateful for the home that had been offered, but both wanted to stay in London. Sirius's old home had been fully transformed. The doom and gloom that had existed there for generations had now been replaced with light and colour.

The place was massive, much to Molly's delight (they all saw her picturing plenty of room for grandchildren), six floors in all; four floors above the ground level and one below, with bedrooms and bathrooms on all floors, except the lower two. Harry insisted that there would be more than enough space for her to live with him and Ginny, in fact, they probably wouldn't even see each other, and Hermione had taken him up on his offer, without hesitating, forgetting completely that she had Draco to consider. When they had talked about their lives after Hogwarts it had been somewhat of a shock for both of them.

"You can live with me." Draco told her, but was startled by her response.

"No, Draco. No. I can't." She'd backed away from him.

At first he didn't understand her reaction. It took a few seconds but it hit him; The Manor.

"Hermione no," he closed the gap she'd made between them and took both of her hands, "Not The Manor. I would never ask you to live there."

After the war, and the subsequent arrest and incarceration of his parents, he had not returned to his childhood home. He'd rented a flat in the middle of London and spent the summer there. The constant noise was welcome after the hollow, empty echoes of the manor. He had remained out of sight, avoiding even leaving his temporary dwelling for days at a time, enjoying the solitude. Outside of The Ministry, Pansy and Blaise were the only ones who knew where he was.

The entire Malfoy estate had fallen to him; the money, the jewels, the artefacts, the Manor. He had returned only once to allow the Ministry Aurors to remove and destroy any and all questionable items that they found and he had them do the same to the family vault at Gringots. He wanted no part of his father's wrongdoings and had wanted it known that he was assisting The Ministry in whatever they asked of him.

The only thing that he kept, other than his personal belongings, was the library. He had the entire collection – that which the Aurors deemed acceptable - moved to a new vault at Gringots and then had The Manor demolished and sold the land on which it had stood. It was a responsibility that his nineteen year old self shouldn't have had to deal with.

It was why he had returned to school. He had decided that he would put on hold the responsibility that he hadn't wanted and most certainly hadn't asked for, and he would disappear back to Hogwarts. He thought it would give him time to think about what lay ahead, but it also gave him a chance to hide from the public scrutiny that followed him everywhere.

Hermione was shocked, "You had it demolished, seriously?"

"Seriously," Draco said, "There was absolutely nothing there that was worth anything to me anymore."

"You grew up there, doesn't that count for something?"

"No, The Manor holds no value to me whatsoever." He shrugged, "I have no need of a place that almost destroyed the people I love."

She smiled at him, "Harry offered me a place at his house."

"Oh," Draco tried not to sound disappointed, "Um, okay then.'

She let him sweat for a few seconds before telling him, "You can stay there with me."

"Seriously?" He was slightly shocked that Harry would be happy for him to stay, but could barely contain the smile.

"We wouldn't even be technically living with them," she explained, "We'd have an entire floor to ourselves. Bedroom, bathroom, sitting room. We'd only have to share the kitchen."

"Them?" Draco asked.

"Ginny and Harry," she answered and then grinned, "And Pansy and Ron."

"Blaise and Graham not joining the group?"

"I'm not sure we'd survive," Hermione laughed, "What do you think? Are you happy to live at Harry's?"

Draco cupped her face, "I think it sounds perfect."

 **DM#HG**

Harry laughed at her, "Well, that's one rumour that _is_ true. Draco Malfoy is moving in with me. His girlfriend says he's a decent guy, I'm still not convinced," he winked at her, "I just hope they know how to use silencing charms."

Hermione's face flushed pink and she twisted her mouth into a smile, "I hope so too. I've heard the rumours about how loud they are."

"No. I thought it would be funny, but it's not," Harry shook his head grimacing at his own joke, then smiled, "You look happy, Hermione."

"I am happy, very happy."

"Who'd have thought, huh?" Harry said.

"Thought what?" Hermione grinned.

Harry pinched her knee, "That you'd be happy with the ferret."

"Or that he'd be happy with me," Hermione laughed and flung her arm around his shoulders, "Interesting year, huh?"

They watched as their friends approached; an eclectic group that eight years ago would never have even considered the possibility that they would be friends. Ginny and Pansy were laughing at something Blaise had said; Ron, Draco and Graham following them shaking their heads.

Harry nodded his head, "Interesting year indeed."

* * *

 **A/N:** Again, cheers for the reviews. This story is still rattling around in my head, so there's more to come :)


	7. Chapter 7

"The World Cup's back on." Harry announced as he arrived back home from work one evening.

The new Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt, had postponed the Quiddich World Cup, saying that The Ministry didn't have the resources to hold such an event so soon after the war. It should have been held during the summer at the end of the war. But with all the rebuilding that The Ministry had to do, the claim of lack of resources seemed justified.

However, a year after they had all graduated from Hogwarts, The Ministry decided that it would be held, and the mad scramble to ensure that it happened was much discussed every night by Draco and Harry. With the Harry working at The Ministry, and with Harry being Harry Potter, he was privy to much of the controversy surrounding the endeavour.

Harry approached Hermione with some trepidation just weeks before the World Cup was to take place. She was in the dining room, her books and notes spread across half of the large table. She had started at St Mungos the previous year and was even more studious now than she was at Hogwarts. She and Draco had planned on only staying with Harry for a few months, but it had turned into more than a year, and they looked like they weren't on the move any time soon.

Not that Harry minded, he loved having them in his house. With Ginny off playing Quiddich all over country, and with Ron and Pansy having moved into their own flat after only a few months, he felt that Grimmauld Place was far too big for him to be in on his own. So he had encouraged them to stay, at least until Hermione finished her Healer studies. It would be too disruptive for Hermione to move in the middle of her training, at least that's what he told them. And fortunately they agreed.

"Hermione?" Harry said and she looked up with a smile.

"Hey," she said, "You okay?"

"Um, yeah," Harry said sitting beside her, "Um, we've all been invited to the World Cup Ball, the week before the match."

"Ok-ay," Hermione said slowly, "Is that a new thing? Or have they always done it?" They had attended the previous Quiddich World Cup, but only as spectators. She had no idea what happened as a part of the celebrations that went with it.

"Um, they apparently do it every World Cup." Harry explained.

"Excellent! That sounds great. Are all of us invited, or just the 'war heroes'?" she asked with a laugh, but realised Harry wasn't laughing with her.

"Yes, all of us are invited, it's for both teams and coaches, all the toffs in The Ministry and most of the local players." Harry said nervously.

"Harry, what's going on? Just tell me." Hermione huffed in frustration.

"In the spirit of unity, The Ministry has also asked former international players to attend as well." Harry winced, as if waiting for her to explode.

She shook her head, "And is that a problem?"

"It could be. They've invited Krum." He said.

"Oh," she said quietly, "That might be a problem."

"What might be a problem?" Draco said as he entered the room, a huge smile on his face, he leaned down and kissed Hermione's cheek and sat the other side of her.

Harry and Hermione looked at each other, and Hermione let out a slow breath, "We've all been invited to the World Cup Ball."

"That doesn't sound like a problem," Draco said.

"Well, it's for all the players and coaches and there'll be quite a few international guests there as well." Hermione said relaying the information that Harry had just given her.

"Krum." Draco said.

Hermione nodded, "We don't have to go. I really don't care if we don't."

Draco was looking between the two, trying not to laugh at their concerned faces, "We've been together for a year and half Hermione and I've not done the whole jealous thing since Warrington, so I'm sure it will be fine. I think I can be in a room with him for one evening and not kill him."

"Are you sure?" Hermione asked, "I really don't mind if we don't go. It's really just another chance for The Ministry to show off their favourite asset.' She indicated towards Harry.

Draco squeezed her shoulder, "It will be fine. We can go and if he's there I'll be perfectly civil and polite. You trust me to do that right?"

"Of course I do!" she said, "You know that."

"Then there's no problem," Draco insisted, "We'll go and have a great night."

"Excellent," Harry said, "And if he does go near her, I'll kill him for you."

Hermione glared at him, but Draco laughed.

"I knew I liked you Potter."

* * *

Draco sucked in a breath as Hermione emerged from the bedroom. Every day he still thanked all the gods that existed that he had managed to win Hermione's affections and be by her side. But right now, right in this moment, his chest swelled with pride. He didn't think he could love her any more than he already did, but she had proven him wrong again. She was absolutely beautiful.

"You look..." He shrugged, taking her hands, a crooked smile on his face, "...absolutely stunning."

Her hair was piled up into an elegant bun, exposing the long column of her neck and the straight line of her shoulders. The necklace that Draco had given her at Christmas adorned her neck; a small emerald surrounded by diamonds sat against her chest, just below the hollow of her throat, her one concession to her old rival's colours. She had chosen a strapless, dark red dress that just scraped the floor. The high waistline sat just below her bust, from which the long, flowing skirt fell. Her four inch heels brought her to exactly level with Draco.

She stepped back taking him in, a dazzling smile lighting up her face "You look good."

Her eyes flicked to his hair. The platinum blonde hair long gone, replaced by a dark honey colour, cut short with a scruffy look to it; another attempt to remove himself from his fathers' image. He was dressed impeccably; a crisp white shirt, underneath the tuxedo that was tailored to fit him perfectly and a blood red bow tie – his one concession to her old colours – along with emerald cufflinks that perfectly matched the gem hanging around her neck. She'd seen him in various states of dress, and undress; T-shits and sweat pants on Sunday mornings, business shirts and dress pants for work, naked in bed, but this sophisticated formal look never failed to make her stomach do little flip-flops. His impeccable dress sense was one thing that she loved that remained from the old Draco Malfoy.

"Good?" he said, "Really, that's all I get."

She stepped up close to him, gripping his hips, "You look…You look like I won't be able to let you out of my sight. I'm sure every other woman there will want you."

He puffed out his chest, "And there's the ego boost I need."

She laughed at him, "Are you ready for this?"

Draco smiled patiently at her, "Hermione, will you stop worrying. Everything will be fine. I promise."

He leaned in and kissed her, her hand pressed against his chest. His tongue swept across her lip and she opened her mouth to allow him entrance. He moved one hand from her jaw, sliding it along her neck to rest on her collar bone. The kiss intensified as she slid her own hand to the back of his head, pulling him harder against her mouth.

"Hey!" Harry called from two floors below, "Are you two ready? If you don't hurry up we'll be late."

Draco pulled back, slightly breathless, "We need to stop or we'll never get there, and I won't get to show you off."

She giggled, "Well," she pressed a quick kiss to his mouth, "We certainly don't want that. But this," she waved a finger between them, "isn't over. When we get back here, well..." She trailed off, a sly grin on her face.

Draco groaned, "You can't make me go out with those thoughts in my head."

"Well, you shouldn't dress like this. You know what it does to me."

"Yes I do," He smirked at her, "Are you ready?"

"Yes. Are you?"

He took her hand and squeezed it, "Stop worrying," he told her leaning in, his lips close to her ear, "Everyone there will know you're with me. I'll make sure of it."

* * *

Hermione knew she was being stupid, but she was sure she could feel his eyes on them the minute they stepped in the room. This was going to be a long night, and it had only just started.

As far as she was aware, Viktor didn't know about her and Draco, but since she just walked in the room with him, she was sure he would know now. And it didn't matter, he was married, and she wasn't interested. And even if he wasn't married, she still wasn't interested.

She gripped Draco's arm and he at her, a slight frown on his face.

"Relax," he whispered, "Everything will be fine, I'll be on my best behaviour." He leaned across and kissed her, not missing the flashes of the cameras that were following their every move. The War hero and the Death Eater, the most unlikely couple that existed. They had been followed relentlessly for the first few months after Hogwarts, neither understanding why. But as both Blaise and Ginny had said, apparently they were big news. And regardless of the fact that they had been together for more than a year now, this was their first 'official' appearance together and would surely be front page news.

"I'm not worried about you," she whispered back, "I'm worried about him."

"Scared he'll kill me because I stole your heart?" Draco joked.

"Yes," she said with a laugh.

"You need to stop worrying about this," he said, "I'm not, so you shouldn't."

She huffed out a breath, "Fine, you be the sane one for a change." She knew he was right, but she was still concerned. They trusted each other implicitly, but this was Viktor Krum. A _big_ part of her history and as much as he said he was fine, she was concerned jealous Draco would make an appearance.

They moved deeper into the room, being welcomed by several of their former classmates, and even more ministry officials, eager to meet the 'Golden Trio' of Harry, Ron and herself.

Hermione hated this. Even at an event that had nothing to do with the war, she, Harry and Ron were made to be the centre of attention. She caught Harry's eye, and he made a face at her, he was a pissed off as she was. The icy glares from Pansy were enough to keep the reporters and officials away from her and Ron, and Ginny was off limits due to the media blackout that Gwenog had imposed over her team (and no one dared to cross her), but regardless of all that, she and Draco were still the obvious target.

The stories at first had been dreadful, rumours and assumptions that weren't even close to the truth. Draco must have hexed, or charmed, or used a spell on Hermione to make her want to be with him. Because there would be no way Hermione Granger, War Hero would ever see anything good in the likes of Draco Malfoy, Death Eater. Then the reports said that it was simply a case of Draco making a show for the public of rebelling against his pure blood parents, and as soon as his mother was released, he would return to his purist ways and abandon her. And of course, when they failed to get a bite from the pair they broke out the old favourite; she must be pregnant.

It went on for months, until the realisation that the pair were actually serious kicked in and then the engagement and wedding and baby questions started. Hermione had avoided a job in The Ministry for just this reason, but soon realised that it didn't matter where she worked, or where she went, she and Draco would be news. Ginny and Blaise were right. Damn them.

An hour later, and no sign of Krum, Hermione had relaxed and was now with Pansy and Ginny, talking to their former classmates Alicia Spinet and Katie Bell, both of who had taken up places on the French team of Quiberon. The girls, who had already grilled Pansy over her surprising relationship with Ron, had now turned their attention to Hermione.

"I have to say I'm completely surprised, more so than with Pansy," Katie said eyeing Draco, who was across the room at the bar with Harry, Ron and Blaise, "But might I say, well done?"

"Mm-hmm," Ginny hummed looking at Draco, earning her a slap on the arm from Hermione, "What? I'm just looking."

"Well, stop!" Hermione warned her playfully, "I don't need you ogling him when we live in the same house."

"I agree with Ginny, mm-hmm indeed. _And_ you get to see him naked," Alicia joined in the teasing, "I'm surprised you made it out the door with him looking like that."

The four girls laughed as Hermione's face flushed red. "You almost didn't, did you?" Ginny raised her eyebrows at Hermione, "Is that why took you so long to get ready?"

"Oh, shut up all of you!" They broke into peals of laughter as Hermione tried to regain her composure.

"Hermione?" It was him, she had been too busy enjoying herself, hadn't noticed him approaching.

She took a breath; she had wanted Draco near her when Viktor approached. She said a silent prayer that Draco would see him talking to her and come back instantly. She turned to face him with what she hoped wasn't a nervous smile, "Viktor, hello."

He stepped forward, engulfing her, "It's good to see you,"

Hermione smiled over his shoulder at his wife, "Good to see you too. Hello Anka."

The gorgeous blonde smile brightly at her, not seeming to care about her husband hugging her like he was. Hermione knew that this was what he was like, but she was still uncomfortable.

"Hermione, you look beautiful," Anka said, hugging her when Viktor stepped back, "Too beautiful to be here alone."

Katie gave a derisive laugh, "She's hardly alone, have you not seen her boyfriend? He's the hottest guy in the room."

Ginny, Pansy and Alicia all sniggered, "I'll second that," Alicia said.

"You have a boyfriend?" Anka looked surprised, and turned to Krum, "You never told me she had a boyfriend!" Viktor just shrugged.

"Maybe he didn't know." Pansy suggested, her eyes narrowing at Krum. His eyes flicked to Pansy; and she smirked, _Oh he most definitely knew._

"Where is he?" Anka asked, "I want to meet the man who's stolen your heart."

Hermione had to fight to keep her face straight as Anka repeated Draco's words, "Draco went to the bar, but I'm sure he'll be back in no time." She noticed Viktor frown, but his smile returned just as quick.

"Pansy," Pansy said, holding her hand out to Viktor, steeling him with a glare. She had noticed the frown too, it appeared. She glanced at Hermione, and they shared an unspoken _what was that?_

"Oh, sorry," Hermione gasped, and introduced Viktor and Anka to the group. She almost sighed with relief when she saw Draco, Harry and Ron approach. Draco winked at her from behind Viktor's back causing her to smile, "This is Harry and Ron, and this is Draco."

"Viktor Krum," Draco said holding his hand out to Krum, "You probably don't remember me from Hogwarts. It's good to see you again."

"Uh, yeah," Viktor mumbled, shaking Draco's hand, a dark scowl on his face, "Thanks."

"And you must be Viktor's wife?" Draco said turning to Anka.

She smiled brightly at him, "Yes, I'm Anka. It's lovely to meet you Draco, how long have you been with our beautiful Hermione?" Anka asked.

Hermione was watching the exchange with interest. Something was off, she wasn't sure what, but it was something. While Viktor was notoriously sullen, he seemed more so than usual. Was he jealous of Draco? That'd be a turn around. And she wasn't sure why he would be jealous. He was happily married, as far as she could tell, so she was at a loss as to what was happening.

"It was good to meet you all," Viktor mumbled and then held his arm out to his wife. She linked her arm through his and shot a dazzling smile back at them all.

"A pleasure," she smiled and walked away with Viktor.

"What the hell was that?" Pansy said as they watched their retreating backs.

"You saw it too?" Hermione asked, her paranoia was justified it seemed, if Pansy's frown was anything to go by.

"Yeah, something was definitely off there." Pansy said, "He's up to something. He knew about Draco but didn't tell her. That's weird in itself. And he's not happy."

Draco's hand brushed over Hermione's bare shoulders, "Everything okay?"

"I'm not sure," she looked at Pansy who was scowling at the departing pair, "But Pansy's right, something's wrong."

"Do you think he'll cause a problem?" Draco said glancing towards Krum.

"Hard to say," Pansy said, "But watch your back."

* * *

"Hermione? Would you dance with me?" She turned to see Viktor with his hand held out, his body slightly bowed.

She looked at Draco, who was smiling, his eyebrows raised, "You don't need my permission," he told her, "It's your decision."

Hermione leaned up and kissed him, "I won't be long." She took Viktor's hand, and allowed him to lead her to the dance floor.

"You're okay with that?" Pansy asked from behind him.

Draco turned and grinned, "I am."

Pansy eyed him suspiciously, "What are you up to?"

He shrugged, "You and Hermione seem to think there's something going on here, I'm curious as to what it is."

Pansy grinned, "There's the Draco I know."

"Are you happy with him?" Viktor asked. His hand was a little too low on her back, Hermione ignored it, but if it went lower he would get slapped.

"Sublimely happy," she told him, a huge smile on her face, "He's amazing. He's not the same person he was."

But Viktor didn't seem at all too pleased for her, he was scowling, "But he was..."

"A purist? A Death Eater? What?" Hermione's spine stiffened and her defences went up; the scowl on his face was pissing her off. If he had dragged her out here to bad mouth Draco, he'd find himself standing here alone.

"I just don't think he's good enough for you." Viktor grumped.

"Well, that's not really your decision is it?" she chided; she was trying to remain calm, but was becoming angrier by the second.

"No, but are you sure you've made the right one?" he shot back.

"Positive," she said, "I don't understand why you're even angry about this. It really has nothing to do with you. I made no judgement on your choice of wife, I never would. In fact I love Anka, she's amazing, you're lucky to have her."

"I'm your friend, I'm just concerned." He said.

She knew it was a lie, and she called him out on it, "Try telling me the truth Viktor, since you're such a good friend." She snapped.

"You shouldn't be with him," he told her, "You should be with me."

 _What the hell?_ Hermione was stunned. She stepped back from him, aware that several other dancers near them were watching what was unfolding. "You're married. You have a wife."

"I don't love her," Krum told her.

"But...but..what?" Hermione couldn't work out what was going on, "What the hell's going on Viktor?"

"I don't love her and I don't want to be married to her." He admitted, "I should be married to you."

She looked over to Draco who, along with Harry and Ron, was watching them closely. She could see Draco's chest rising and falling, as he tried to keep his anger in check. She knew he was waiting to see how far this would go before stepping in, but she could tell he was struggling to stay calm. Anka was laughing with Pansy and Ginny, completely unaware of what was happening on the dance floor.

Hermione was struggling to contain her fury, she couldn't believe it.

"Is this why you came here? To try to win me?" Krum didn't answer, he didn't have to. His face was telling her everything she needed to know, "So you just thought you could come here and tell me you want to be with me and I'd just fall at your feet? You really thought that would work? Do you actually think I would give up everything I have with Draco for you? That I'd give up everything for a married man? How stupid are you?"

Krum's nostrils flared. Hermione knew she'd hit a nerve. He hated to be called stupid, the reputation of him being a total meathead was totally unjustified, he was actually quite intelligent. But right now she didn't care.

"Do you really think he gives a shit about you? He's just using you to make everyone think he's changed. He'll abandon you as soon as his bitch of a mother gets out of prison. You're the one who's stupid, if you can't see that." Viktor growled, "The likes of his kind never change. Why are you even with him? He doesn't deserve you. I do."

"You deserve nothing." Hermione spat, "Draco has changed and for the better, but you..." Hermione's fingers were twitching at her side, not wanting to alert the entire Wizarding World to the fact that she was more talented than any of them realised, but nevertheless tempted to hex Krum right there, "You disgust me, I don't even know who you are."

Krum's lip twitched into a sneer, "Me? What about you? You're the one fucking that Death Eater scum."

"How dare you!" she hissed, not caring that the entire room was watching, "You don't get to comment on who I'm sharing my bed with. You might want to take a good look at yourself Viktor, you're the one who's scum. If you think that I would even consider being with someone who thinks that the way to make someone fall in love with them is with lies and deception, then you _are_ stupid. You might want to hold onto your Quiddich fame, because after this, that's all you'll have. You're nothing, in fact, you're less than nothing. Do not come near me, or Draco, ever again."

She turned away from him, only to find Draco and Anka sauntering their way and it was fortunate for Krum that Ginny and Pansy had grabbed their respective partners; she was certain by the furious looks on Harry and Ron's faces that the girls had saved Viktor from having the snot beaten out of him. Draco didn't need to be mad, Harry and Ron were mad enough for him. Anka looked at Hermione with a mixture of hurt and apology that had Hermione wanting to hug her and tell her this wasn't her fault.

Anka turned to Krum and slapped him across the face, before unloading a tirade in her native language. She turned back to Hermione and Draco, Hermione braced herself for the onslaught, but there was no need. Anka took her hand and squeezed it.

"I'm sorry that he did this." She said.

Hermione held her hand up, "Don't you ever say sorry, not to me, or to Draco. This is not your fault, you've done nothing wrong. He's the arse, not you."

Anka nodded and turned back to Viktor. She sneered at him and slapped him again, "She's right, you are an arse!" she yelled and stormed off through the crowd that had turned to watch the scene unfolding before them.

Draco stepped towards him, and Hermione held her breath, "You may have had Hermione first, but you'll never have her again. You had your chance to be with her and you missed it." He leaned in, almost daring Krum to take a swipe at him, "You can judge me how you see fit and you can call me Death Eater scum, I do not care. Because Hermione's right, you are nothing. You are worthless. You have embarrassed yourself and your wife, and you don't even have the decency to chase after her and explain yourself. Congratulations Viktor, you've managed to allow the world to see you for exactly what they thought you were; a stupid, egotistical oaf. I hope you're proud of yourself."

Draco turned to face Hermione, and without a word he cupped her face and kissed her. The kiss lasted much longer than was probably necessary, but Hermione didn't care; on this occasion she was happy to be claimed in public.

He pulled back, and winked at her, "Are you ready to go home with this Death Eater scum?"

"Nothing would make me happier," she said, slipping her arm through his and walking proudly away through the parting crowd.

* * *

The second they stepped outside the Ministry they disapperated, landing in hallway on the top floor of Grimmauld Place.

"Are you..mmmph!" Draco was cut off when Hermione shoved him against the wall, her mouth crashing against his, all coherent thoughts disappearing from his brain.

She tore at his jacket, flinging it across the hallway before tugging at the buttons on his shirt. She freed it from his pants, and pushed it back over his shoulders, yanking it down his arms. He let go of her long enough for it to drop to the floor, before his hands were on her, reaching around to find the zipper on her dress.

He shoved her dress down her body revealing the tiny scrap of lace that covered the apex of her thighs. Her hips pushed against his, her hands clutched him to her and she groaned. He was hard already. She snaked a hand between them, cupping him and squeezing roughly. He groaned into her mouth, as she continued to caress him through his pants. Draco pushed her back, breathing hard. He pressed his hand to her collar bone, sliding it slowly down between her breasts, across her stomach stopping just above the tiny triangle of red lace.

Hermione reached for his belt, and growled with frustration when her hands fumbled. She moved her hand away and flicked her wrist and the remainder of their clothes fell to the floor. His hands were warm against her skin as they glided along her ribs coming up to cup her breasts. His thumbs brushed across her nipples, pulling a hiss of breath from Hermione's mouth, his eyes glued to her face watching her reactions. Her hand gripped the back of his head and pulled him towards her crashing her mouth to his, her tongue slipped between his lips. She moaned and whimpered as he teased her relentlessly, his fingers squeezing, tugging, and pinching at her nipples.

Draco spun her around, switching positions, slamming her against the wall. His hand shifted, moving lower along her body, forging a trail down her stomach, across her waist and finally he reached between her thighs. Her head thumped back against the wall and she moaned sucking in a breath as his fingertips stroked gently against her clit.

He pressed his mouth to hers, capturing the breathy little moans that were falling from her mouth. Shifting his leg between hers, he urged her wider, his hand never ceasing its movements. He continued to circle her clit with his thumb as his fingers slid through her slick heat, sinking into her, eliciting another loud moan from her.

"Draco..." Hermione breathed, her hips writhing against his hand as his fingers pumped into her. She hooked her leg over his hip, her heel pressing into his arse, and rocked against him.

Draco leaned in pressing his lips to her shoulder and murmured her name against her skin. He felt her inner muscles began to spasm around his fingers. His was straining to be inside her, to feel her tight heat surrounding him. He willed himself to wait, to not explode all over her stomach, to watch her unravel with just his fingers.

"Draco...fuck!...more." Hermione pleaded, and Draco complied, his fingers moving harder and faster inside her. Her inner muscles suddenly constricted hard around his fingers, she clutched at his shoulders, her body convulsing as she cried out his name.

A low growl left his throat and his hands gripped the backs of her thighs, hiking her up. She yelped in surprise and grabbed his shoulders to steady herself, wrapping her legs around his hips.

He pressed her back against the wall, "Put me inside you." He growled.

Reaching between them she wrapped her fingers around his shaft. She smirked at him, running her thumb across the tip of him, pressing her heels hard into his arse, and guiding him to her entrance.

Draco watched as she pulled her hips from the wall to meet him, the tip of his cock disappearing into her. He hissed out a breath as he continued to slide into her, his eyes flicking back up to hers as he slowly thrust forward, filling her. He stilled when their hips met, his cock buried deep inside her.

She gripped his shoulders as he rocked his pelvis against hers, grinding himself slow and deep into her, feeling her writhe against him as he dragged himself almost completely out of her. He pushed back in, stretching her, repeating the slow movement over and over. Hermione let out a breathy moan, the sound causing him to pause and clench his entire body for fear he'd explode right there.

"Draco," she whined, "Don't stop. Please...Harder!"

Hermione cried out as he snapped his hips and began pumping into her hard and fast, driving her into the wall. She felt his breath panting against her neck, as she gripped his shoulders, her fingernails digging into his skin leaving half-moon welts.

"Oh my...ungh! Fuck!" She cried as he dragged against that spot he managed to find every time. She rolled her hips against his, urging him on, their sweat soaked bodies sliding against each other. She clung to him as he set a furious pace, her body being pushed closer and closer to bliss.

Draco dug his fingers harder into her arse, driving himself deeper, his pelvis dragging across her clit with every thrust. He was rewarded with a loud, guttural moan reverberating in his ears, her inner muscles fluttering around him. She began to tremble, her orgasm approaching. He looked down and watched her breasts bounce as he slammed into her, over and over. His eyes wandered lower, watching himself fuck into her, his cock wet, covered with her. The sight almost had him unravelling.

"Come for me," Draco ground out, "I want to feel you."

"Draco...fuck!..Now, now!...fuuuuck!" She threw her head back; a silent scream left her open mouth as her walls tightened around him. He continued to thrust into her, bucking hard against her while she pulsated around him. He hung on as long as he could but the ache in his balls was pushing his own release closer and closer. He thrust once, twice before he came hard and fast, growling her name as he exploded inside her.

His legs gave out and they collapsed onto the floor, his face buried in her neck. The sound of their panting breaths filled the hall. They lay wrapped around each other for several minutes before Draco finally found the strength to shift off her and flop down beside her. He turned his head to face her.

"Are you okay?" he asked quietly taking her hand and pressing his lips against her knuckles.

"With the angry sex against the wall?" She was staring at the ceiling, "I kind of started it, so yeah I'm fine."

Draco laughed, "No, I mean, after everything tonight."

Hermione rolled to her side, wincing at the unforgiving floorboards. She propped herself up on one elbow and ran her fingers across his chest, "Yeah, I think so. I'm a little stunned. I was not expecting that. He certainly isn't the person I thought he was."

"Yeah," Draco agreed, "I think he surprised everyone."

"What an arse." Hermione huffed, "What the hell was he even thinking? Why did he think that it was okay to do that? And in front of everyone!"

"Who knows?" Draco said, "The idiot could have just asked you out years ago. He had his chance."

Hermione raised her eyebrows at him, "But then you would have missed out on all this."

He laughed, "Ah, I would have. But I wouldn't have known what I was missing out on. And who says the two of you would have amounted to anything? I mean, he's a total twat."

She kissed his chest, "You're being very calm about this."

"No, I'm furious, I just didn't want to give him what he wanted." he told her and she frowned questioningly at him, "He wanted me to make a scene, to make myself look like the bad guy. I wasn't going to give him that. But, just so you're aware, if he comes near you again, all those promises I made to be polite and civil will be forgotten, and you won't stop me from hurting him."

It had taken everything Draco had to not cross the floor and punch Krum – magic be damned. Hexing him would not be even close to enough. It would have given him no greater pleasure than to feel his fist slamming into Krum's face. But he knew that was exactly what Krum had wanted – Draco Malfoy, Death Eater, punching Viktor Krum, Quiddich Star; the _Daily Prophet_ would have had a field day.

"Believe me, after tonight, that arse deserves to be hurt." She shook her head, "You're a guy; tell me why he would do this. Was it to make himself look like a hero? Because if that was his aim, he failed miserably."

"Honestly, I don't know. It makes no sense," Draco shrugged a shoulder, "Maybe he _is_ just an idiot."

"No one's that stupid, are they?' Hermione was dumfounded. She was the one who told Krum not to wait for her, but if he had wanted more, he should have told her so. Draco was right, he'd had plenty of time. Why the hell did he wait until tonight? And in public, no less. Not that she wanted him to, but he could have told her at more appropriate time.

"Clearly he is. He made a complete arse of himself," Draco had a look of disgust on his face, "How could he do that to her? How could he do that to you?"

"I thought he was a good and decent guy," Hermione shook her head in disbelief, "How could I have been so wrong?"

"Hey, none of this is your fault," Draco said, "You're the good guy in all this, don't blame anything on yourself."

"I know. Maybe I just have to readjust my ability to judge people."

Draco leaned up and kissed her, "I think you have pretty good judgement."

Hermione laughed, "We should probably get off this floor before Harry and Ginny get home."

"Who says they're not home?" Draco said, "I'm sure they weren't far behind us. They would have been concerned."

"So, they probably heard that, huh?" Hermione said with a grimace.

"Yeah, we'll probably have to move out," Draco said, shoving himself up off the floor and reaching down for her, "You were amazing tonight," he said, brushing a strand of hair from her face, "I think the entire world learned not to mess with Hermione Granger."

"I don't care about the whole world," she said, "I just care about certain toss-offs who think they can come between you and me."

* * *

Harry and Ginny were seated at the dining table, grinning like idiots when Hermione and Draco joined them.

"Well, good morning," Ginny said, "Glad you could join us. Good night was it?"

"They heard," Hermione said with a grin at Draco, "We'd say sorry, but we're really not."

Draco kissed her temple, "No, we most definitely are not."

"Don't ever apologise for _that_." Ginny said with a wink.

"Anyway," Harry drawled, "Are you both okay?"

"We're fine," Draco said, "Pissed off, but fine."

"It's not just you two, the entire world is pissed at him!" Ginny said, sliding the _Daily Prophet_ newspaper across the table, "You knocked the World Cup off the front page."

Hermione grabbed the newspaper, watching the picture as it moved from her yelling at Krum to Anka slapping him to Draco kissing her. She scanned the story beneath it before sighing and reading it aloud.

" _The entire Wizarding World was last night given a glimpse into the powerhouse that is Hermione Granger. War hero Ms Granger was a guest of honour at the World Cup Ball in the Grand Ballroom at the Ministry of Magic with her reformed Death Eater beau Draco Malfoy. The pair has been together since their last year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where the two high achievers were Head Girl and Boy in their final year._

 _Midway through last night's festivities, Ms Granger was seen dancing with Bulgarian Quiddich superstar Viktor Krum, who rumour has it, became quite smitten with her during the Tri-Wizard Tournament that was held at Hogwarts several years ago. Our sources say that the two were much more than 'just friends' during that time, attending the Yule Ball together that same year, and Ms Granger was even spotted vacationing with Krum in his native Bulgaria the following summer._

 _A heated exchange broke out between the pair, with Ms Granger displaying what many in British Wizarding circles are privy to: she is not one to be trifled with._ _The argument broke out when, what appeared to be an extremely jealous Krum accused Malfoy of continuing to maintain his purist death eater ways, saying that Malfoy 'would abandon Ms Granger' the second his mother - the infamous Narcissa Malfoy - was released from her stay in Azkaban._

 _Malfoy, who clearly is aware of just what Ms Granger is capable of, remained on the sidelines, with Anka Krum, watching the exchange, while Ms Granger, with all the poise and grace that precedes her, told Krum in no uncertain terms that he was to stay away from the couple._ _Anka Krum then let fly, with both a verbal tirade and a well timed slap to the face for Krum. Malfoy was quick to follow, with a few choice words of his own._

 _Ms Granger and Mr Malfoy, who are notoriously private, shared an extremely rare public display of affection, reaffirming to the world just how serious they are, before Mr Malfoy escorted Ms Granger from the Grand Ball Room. Krum was left looking sullen and abashed, with the entire crowd disgusted with him on Ms Grangers' and Ms Krum's behalf._

 _Another angry exchange followed, when Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Blaise Zabini and Neville Longbottom stopped Krum from fleeing and confronted him over his actions. The four friends of Ms Granger were last seen escorting him from the Ball Room._

 _It is unsure as to whether Mr Krum will be attending next week's World Cup final, and after the reaction from the guests in attendance last night, it would be highly recommended that he didn't"_

"Harry, what did you do?" Hermione demanded.

"Nothing," He said, and Hermione glared at him, "I'm serious. I did nothing...Neville on the other hand..."

"Longbottom?" Draco looked shocked, "Longbottom took on Krum?"

"Neville has very strong morals when it comes to family and friends, and let's just say, Krum was taught a lesson he'll never forget."

"Wow,' Draco said, still shocked, "I'll have to buy that man a drink next time I see him."

"But, he shouldn't have-" Hermione began, but Harry cut her off.

"No, you did what you needed to do; Neville did what he needed to do. And you don't get to reprimand him. I won't allow it." Harry told her, "Krum deserved it. To do what he did to his wife, and to you and Draco, I think Neville let him off lightly."

"Be glad it was Neville," Ginny chimed in, "If they had let Pansy and I at him, no one would ever see him again."

"I'm certain that won't happen anyway Gin," Draco said, "You don't treat Britain's favourite witch like he did and survive. The world will hate him."

"I'm not Britain's favourite witch," Hermione snapped, "And I won't thank Neville! Or any of you! None of you should have done that. Viktor was bad enough without everyone else stooping to his level!"

"Hey!" Harry snapped back, "You don't get to be pissed at us! Krum's the fuck up here, not us. We're your family and that means you're stuck with us, and we'll do whatever we need to do to take care of you. Whether you like it or not." Harry stood up from his chair and stepped in front of her. He gripped her shoulders, "Hermione, if this was one of us, what would you do? You'd do the same thing right?" Hermione nodded. Harry hugged her, "We're family, you and me; we've got no one else."

Hermione felt tears well up in her eyes and she swallowed hard, "I hate him Harry. I hate that he did that. After everything we..." she choked on a sob, "I hate him."

"I know," Harry told her, "We all do."

Draco glanced at Ginny, a knowing look passing between them. Harry and Hermione had been through hell together, they shared a bond that no one could break. And Harry was right. They were family. They only had each other – Harry's parents were dead, and Hermione's had no memory of her.

Draco knew she had been pissed off the previous night, but she really hadn't had the chance to get things straight in her head. It was why they'd had the angry sex and not come home and talked about it. She wasn't ready to. But now, with Harry forcing her to talk, the anger and hurt were surfacing.

Harry stepped back and held her face, "I know you're angry, but you would have been so proud of Neville. I think he was inspired by you," Harry glanced at Draco, a sly grin crossing his face, "Krum will be sporting a black eye and bruised jaw. No magic involved, it was all fists. We couldn't have stopped him if we tried. Neville's no longer the weedy little guy we went to school with. And he loves you as much as we do. And when someone hurts you like Krum did, we won't stand by and watch. You should know that by now."

She gave him a watery smile, and hugged him again, "Thanks Harry."

"You okay?" Harry asked.

Hermione nodded, brushing the tears from her cheeks, "Yeah, I-" her eyes went wide, "What if he talks?"

"Talks?" Ginny asked, "Who would he talk to?"

"To the gossip reporters," she said, slightly panicked, "What if he tells them what happened with us? They'd love that, and he'd be a hero again: the one who took Hermione Granger's virginity!"

"It won't happen," Harry reassured her, "I told you, Neville made sure of that."

"But if he's in Bulgaria, and away from everyone, he could easily-" she was panicked but Draco cut her off.

"Then we'll deal with it if it happens." Draco squeezed her shoulder, "But if what Harry says is right, I don't think it will be a problem."

Hermione looked at the three of them, "Neville really did that?"

Harry started laughing, "Krum didn't know what hit him."

"Quiet, unassuming Neville," Ginny said, "Who'd have thought?"

"Yeah," Draco said, "I'll definitely have to buy that man a drink."

* * *

Three weeks later and Hermione's fears were met.

"That fucker!" Ginny yelled when she saw the Daily Prophet at breakfast. Pansy and Ron had apparated into the kitchen, Pansy swearing and cursing at Krum the second they appeared.

"Neville won't get a chance this time," Pansy fumed, "I'll kill him myself."

"Hermione?" Ron said, but she ignored him.

She was staring at the _Daily Prophet_ , watching the picture move, showing her and Krum making their way around the dance floor at the fourth year Yule Ball. The two were smiling and laughing, looking for all the world like the happy couple they appeared to be. The picture below it showed the pair in Bulgaria, Viktor's arm draped around her shoulders as they toured his home town.

Draco took the paper from her, knowing she hadn't even looked at the story that went with the pictures she was a staring at, and read it aloud.

 _"_ _After a somewhat questionable display at the World Cup Ball, speculation has been rife as what the exact reason was for Viktor Krum's outburst while he was dancing with Hermione Granger. In the weeks since, it has come to light that Krum and Ms Granger were most definitely more than just friends in their teenage years, with the two reportedly sneaking off repeatedly to be alone together during the Tri-Wizard Tournament, much to the chagrin of Ms Grangers' fellow female classmates._

 _The pair was reunited the following summer in Krum's home town, where the two spent three romantic weeks together, including a visit to Greece. Of course, one can only speculate what exactly happened between the two during those weeks, but considering that Ms Granger's parents did not accompany her, and with our sources confirming that she stayed with Krum alone, it leaves little room for the imagination._

 _It was Ms Granger who called the affair off, falling into the arms of Draco Malfoy and leaving a heartbroken Krum in her wake."_

Draco tossed the paper onto the counter with a huff and watched as Hermione pressed her fingers into her eyes, squeezing them shut. Harry shifted in his seat, about to ask if she was okay, but Draco held up a hand, silencing him. She stood unmoving for about half a minute, before exploding.

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" She almost screamed, before she started pacing, "This is just fucking great. Why is this even news? It's all just lies!" she shook the newspaper violently, "Sources my arse! It's all him. How dare he do this, who the fuck does he think he is? Heartbroken? What a fucking joke! They seem to have forgotten about Anka. What about her heart? Or is she just collateral damage? It's all just innuendo and rumours; I thought we left this childish bullshit at school."

Draco walked around the kitchen counter and took one of her hands, stopping her pacing, "Hey, _we did_ leave this behind us. But clearly he didn't. You're right, it is childish, and it shouldn't be news, but unfortunately this is exactly what he wanted; to be made the hero again."

"I'll rip his throat out if I see him ever again."

Draco tried to stop the smirk that crossed his face, but failed.

"What!?" Hermione snapped.

Ginny burst out laughing, "Rip his throat out? Really? Pansy maybe, Neville definitely, but you?"

Unable to remain stoic, the others were laughing with Ginny. Hermione was glaring at them, but pretty soon her resolve broke and she burst out laughing.

"Did you want us to let Neville at him?" Ron asked with a laugh.

"Yeah, that'd be great." Hermione said.

Draco wrapped his arms around her, and he kissed the top of her head, "I thought you didn't want Neville involved in this."

"At this point I don't care," she said, "As if we haven't had enough drama in our lives, this twat thought it a great idea to add more. What are we going to do?"

"Nothing," Draco told her, "Let him have his whinge. You know the truth as does he, and if he wants to twist it to his favour, then let him. Like you said, let's not stoop to his level. "

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Harry asked, "If you don't say something, everyone will just assume it's true. And you know the _Daily Prophet_ will hound you until you give them something."

Hermione thought about it. Krum was being a complete arse, he'd fucked everything up – his marriage, his friendships and his image - not her, and now he was doing his best to sully her reputation. But did it really matter? Did she care what everyone thought? She really didn't. Draco was right, she knew the truth, and she guessed that was all that mattered.

"Let them assume," she said, "They can believe the lies and rumours all they like, I don't care. Draco's right let him have his whinge, if it makes him feel like a big man."

"Wow, look at us," Pansy said, "Acting all grown up."

Hermione sniggered, "Well, since Krum has childish all sown up, we may as well be the adults."

* * *

"Hermione?" It was Anka, "Do you have a minute?"

Hermione was speechless. She was not expecting Anka to show at her workplace, not expecting her to show up anywhere, truth be told. The last two weeks had been hell; the Daily Prophet had been relentless in their pursuit of her and Draco, wanting to know everything that had happened between Hermione and Krum; assuming that Draco was the reason that she and Krum weren't together; wanting to know why she would choose someone with a questionable past like Draco over clean-cut, superstar Krum.

She was sure that life hadn't been much better for Anka. The stories hadn't been much kinder to her, regardless of the fact that she was innocent in all this. Krum had embarrassed her and made her look like a complete fool, the reports said, how could she not have known about all that had transpired between he and Hermione?

But they had it completely wrong. Anka had known that they had been together once, but unlike Draco, had not been jealous, and was happy for them to be friends. She was happily married to Krum – at least she thought – and knew that Hermione had no intentions towards him.

"Um, sure," Hermione said, "Not here though. Come with me." She led them to an empty room, not wanting anyone to hear this conversation. As amazing as her colleagues at St Mungos had been, she was sure that seeing the two of them together would stir the rumour mill.

"Anka, I'm so sorry about all of this," Hermione said, "You don't deserve any of it."

"And neither do you," Anka told her, "None of us do. I don't know what he was thinking, why he would do this."

"I don't know either," Hermione shrugged, "Are you okay?"

Anka smiled, "No, not really. All of this has been ..." she closed her eyes and shook her head, "...Unbelievable."

Hermione took her hand and squeezed it, "I know, I'm as shocked as you are. I don't understand how he thought telling the world what happened between him and me was a good idea. I'm so sorry you got caught up in it all. And I'm sorry that he did what he did at the Ball."

Anka took a breath, "Hermione, I know something happened between you and him, but I've never asked exactly what. I never really wanted to know, well, nothing more than what I assumed. But after hearing the rumours, can I ask what happened?"

Hermione took her own breath, steadying her nerves. After the last few weeks of lies and rumours, Anka was probably entitled to know, so she told her, "Viktor and I became friends during the Tri-Wizard Tournament, that part is true, but as for being alone as often as we could, that part is completely false. Nothing every happened between us while we were at school, that's all lies. The summer when I went visit him, that's when it happened, and it was the _only_ time it happened. He was my first. And when I left, I told him not to wait for me."

Anka nodded her head, "So most of it has been lies?"

"Yes," Hermione said, "The majority of it has been. It's why Draco and I have chosen not to say anything, because anything we say will just play into their hands. They don't want the truth, they just want the drama. Viktor and I were long over before Draco and I were anything."

"Considering I was married to him for longer than you and Draco have been together, I figured you didn't dump Viktor for him," Anka told her.

"And there was no _affair_ to call off, you know that, right?" Hermione asked, "I would _never_ do that."

"I know you wouldn't. That was one rumour I definitely didn't believe," Anka said, "I'm sorry you've had to deal with this. You don't deserve this anymore than I do."

"You're right, we don't," Hermione shook her head, "But we both need to stop apologising for him; we've done nothing wrong here. It's all him."

Anka surprised her by stepping towards her and hugging her, "Thank you Hermione. You didn't have to tell me anything, but I appreciate that you did. Draco knows how lucky he is to have you, right?"

"Of course he does!" Hermione laughed, "Will you be okay?"

"I think so," Anka said, "The truth makes a difference."

"Let me walk you out," Hermione said as Anka headed for the door.

"You're not worried about there being more rumours?"

"No," Hermione said, "Not anymore. And maybe if we're seen together, the real villain in all this will be back on the front page."

"Thank you Hermione," Anka said, hugging her again.

"You have nothing to thank me for," Hermione told her, "Take care Anka, don't let that bastard win."

Anka laughed and winked at her, "Oh, believe me, I won't."


	8. Chapter 8

Hermione felt something brush her cheek. She waved her hand at it, wanting whatever it was to leave her be and allow her to sleep. It was Saturday and after a busy week at St Mungos, she felt she deserved a sleep in. Half a minute later she felt her body relax again and she started drifting off. She felt it again, this time she waved her hand wider and actually connecting with something.

"Oomph!" came a muffled sound, and she smiled despite the want to sleep. She felt a pair of lips on her cheek, but her eyes were so heavy she couldn't find the energy to open them.

"I see that your right hook hasn't diminished." Draco said.

Hermione laughed, her eyes still close. She couldn't ever remember being this exhausted.

"Are you awake?" Draco asked pressing tiny kissed on her cheek and jaw.

"No," she mumbled forcing her eyes open, "What time is it?"

"Just after ten."

"What!?" she shook her head in an attempt to clear the sleep fog from her brain, "Ten? But that means I slept for..." she frowned trying to calculate the hours she'd been asleep.

"Fourteen hours," Draco told her.

"Why didn't you wake me?" As exhausted as she was, she was horrified it was so late.

"Me and what army?" he said laughing, "You punched me and told me to fuck off before you went back to sleep."

"Really?" Hermione asked with a grimace.

"Really," he said with a smile, "And, like I said you still have a mean right hook. I figured it was safer to let you sleep. Besides, clearly you were exhausted, you've had a big week."

Hermione had spent almost twelve hours a day at St Mungos the past week, barely seeing Draco, or Harry and Ginny for that matter, for more than a few minutes before falling exhausted into bed. But she was loving her work at the hospital, more than she ever thought she would. She was helping people, healing people, and once her patients had gotten over the fact that their healer was Hermione Granger, the majority of them were amazing, always grateful for her help. Of course the job wasn't always roses and butterflies, having to learn to cope with the loss of patients and those that were deathly ill, but she loved it nonetheless.

"Were you planning on getting out of bed today," Draco was running his hand across her hip.

"No," Hermione with a dramatic sigh, "I thought I'd just stay here and have you wait on me all day."

Draco leaned down slowly, his breath tickled her ear, "Malfoy's don't wait on anyone." He said in a low voice.

Hermione laughed, "Oh, really? Maybe the Malfoy's need to learn their place, especially if they want _their_ needs waited on."

Draco laughed, plastering her face with kisses and slapping her butt as he stood, "Get your lazy arse out of bed. I have something I want to show you today."

Hermione grabbed him by the belt buckle, "Maybe I have something I want to show you."

"Nope, you're not getting _that_ until I show you my surprise." Draco said pulling her hand away from him.

"Draco, you know I hate surprises," she moaned, "Just tell me what it is."

"You've got thirty minutes" He told her as he exited the room.

* * *

"What's this?" Hermione asked, when Draco finally said _we're here._

"Come, I'll show you." Draco took her hand and dragged her up the half dozen steps to the heavy wooden door in the centre of the red brick facade of the large house they were standing in front of. He took a key from his pocket and unlocked the door, "If you will." He held his arm out, ushering her through the door.

"Draco, what..?" Hermione looked confused, "Why are we in someone's house?"

Draco shut the door, "Not someone's, it's ours."

Hermione's hand flew to her mouth, "What?" she whispered.

"It's ours if you like it. I think it's perfect, but I wouldn't buy it without you seeing it first." He took her hand from her mouth and held it, "Let me show you."

Hermione's eyes were wide with surprise as she finally took in her surroundings. The large entryway opened onto a central sweeping staircase, the house appearing to be a 'U' shape, with a large sitting room to the right and a guest bedroom with an attached bathroom to the left. He led her to the left of the stairs and to the rear of the house, and into the huge living room with an equally large fireplace set in the back wall. It was almost entirely surrounded by glass that showed a stunning enclosed brick courtyard that led into the sizeable garden.

"Come and see the kitchen." He said excitedly. It had been a shock to Hermione – in fact, it had been a shock to all of them – that Draco loved to cook. His culinary prowess put them all to shame.

Like everything else she'd seen so far, the kitchen was massive. It had a butler's pantry in the rear that was almost as big as the kitchen itself. There was also an informal meals area with French doors that opened onto the left side of the courtyard.

Hermione took in his face, and the look of elation on it. He was excited about this. And while the house was huge, a least what she had seen so far, it was so different from the Manor he'd grown up in. This house was warm and looked like a home, whereas the Manor had been cold and sterile. She couldn't help but smile at his excitement.

"What are you thinking?" he asked.

"It's all a bit overwhelming," she said, "And I'm sure there's more to see."

"There is," he said with a grin, "So much more."

They crossed back through the living area to the right side of the house where there was a dining room and a large library. The library also had a set of French doors that opened onto the courtyard, and Hermione instantly saw herself sitting in this room in summer with the doors open and the air coming in. It was her favourite room already.

Hermione smiled, "Is this for me?" she dragged her fingers across the empty shelves, imagining how she could easily fill them. Draco's collection locked away in Gringotts would fill half of it, and her collection would go a long way to filling the rest.

"Of course it is." He said leaning against the doorframe, "Do you like it?"

She bit her bottom lip, "I like it so far. What's upstairs?"

He led her back to the entryway, this time to the right of the stairs and they headed up. The staircase opened onto a large, open retreat area which would perfectly house Draco's favourite muggle toy – the television. To the left were three huge bedrooms, each with an attached bathroom.

"Do we really need this many bedrooms?" She said with a raised eyebrow.

"We may have guests," he answered with a shrug.

"I thought that's what the room downstairs was for," Hermione narrowed her eyes at him, "What are you up to?"

"Why does everyone think I'm always up to something?"

"Because you usually are."

He laughed and hugged her, "Not this time." He said, "I've gone from the Manor, to Hogwarts, to Harry's. I couldn't live anywhere that there wasn't any space."

"Yeah, a likely story," she said. They hadn't really discussed a future that would require this many bedrooms, in fact, they hadn't really discussed a future at all. They were pretty much living on assumptions that they would just be together, but Hermione envisioned an extensive discussion very soon.

They doubled back, and headed to the right of the retreat area, and Hermione was stunned. This entire side of the top floor was the master suite. An enormous bedroom had a large picture window that overlooked the expansive garden. There was a walk in wardrobe that was almost as big as their bedroom at Harry's and a smaller dressing room. The en suite was breathtaking. A spa bath took up one entire corner, with a double shower along the opposite wall, with a double vanity basin separating them.

She tried to cover her excitement with a nonchalant shrug, "It's okay, I guess."

Draco snorted, knowing full well she already loved the house, it was written all over her face, "Just okay? Hmmm, and here I was thinking that you'd love it. I guess I'll just have to keep searching."

She stepped in front of him and wrapped her arms around him, "You're an arse, you know that?"

"Because I want to buy you a house?" he asked.

"Yes, you're an arse because you want to buy _us_ a house." Hermione laughed.

He grinned, "Do you love it?"

She looked up at him, "I love it. How long have you been searching?"

"A while now," he admitted, "I think it's time we grew up and moved out of Harry's. Don't get me wrong, it'd been great, I just think it's time we moved on."

"I think you're right," she said, "When can we move in?"

"Are you sure?" he asked, "I don't want you to feel forced into this, I mean I did this on my own and didn't-"

She pressed her finger to his lips, "It's perfect. This is our home." Draco picked her up and spun them around, Hermione squealed with laughter, "Put me down you idiot!"

He set her on her feet and kissed her, "I'll get the paperwork sorted," he told her, "Hopefully we can move in within the month. And now that you've decided that you love the house, can I take you to lunch?" Draco said with a dramatic bow.

Hermione laughed, "You mean, like a date?"

"Yes, I mean _like a date._ It's been way too long." The two had been so busy with their new jobs, and with the crazy hours that Hermione had been working, they really hadn't spent a great deal of time together, just the two of them.

"Well then Mr Malfoy, I would love to have lunch with you."

He pulled her to him, "And maybe after lunch, you can show me that surprise you had for me." He wiggled his eyebrows at her.

"Hmmm, well...I don't know," she said with an exaggerated drone, dragging a finger slowly down his chest, "I guess you did buy me a house. I probably owe you something."

"I'll expect payment in full this evening."

* * *

They apparated a safe distance from the muggle cafe they chose for lunch. It was Hermione's favourite and the fact that Blaise and Graham owned it, made it Draco's favourite as well.

Blaise had take Hermione up on her gap year suggestion, and he and Graham had travelled across the globe for several months before returning to work as baristas in a muggle cafe. _Just for a laugh_ was Blaise's attitude, but it turned out they loved muggle London. They purchased the cafe, and with Blaise's ability to charm the socks off anyone who walked through the door, it quickly became a favourite amongst the locals.

Draco had spent more time in muggle London with Hermione than he ever thought he would in his life. And he was loathe to admit that he wished he'd spent more time there in his youth. Of course that would never have occurred, his muggle hating parents would never have allowed it. But the city was amazing; busy and loud and a crazy mess of muggle ingenuity. It wasn't as if he had _never_ spent time there, only when it had been absolutely essential. Hermione had exposed him to much more of the muggle life than he ever thought he necessary, but he had discovered that it wasn't all bad - his television and mobile phone running equal first in his favourite of their technology. Owl post was great, but these phones were even better. Instantaneous messages; he just had to press Hermione's picture and she was instantly talking to him.

Hermione had almost thrown the phone away in frustration when he first got it, telling him to stick with the owls, but he persevered and once he finally learned how it worked, he never looked back. Hermione had received at least fifty messages a day - most of them simply saying _hi_ \- for the first week after he figured it out, until she put her foot down and told him to stop being a child. He'd responded by sending a message that said _sorry,_ while she was sitting right beside him.

They walked into the cafe, expecting to see both Blaise and Graham, but were informed that neither were there, the staff had ordered them to both take a day off since they were there seven days a week.

"Grab a table." Draco told her and headed for the counter, knowing exactly what she would want without having to ask her.

"Hermione?"

Hermione spun around at the too familiar voice. "You have got to be kidding me!" she snarled, "I told you to stay away from me."

It was Krum. And what a surprise he had approached her in public.

"Hermione, I just wanted..." Krum began.

"I told you to stay the fuck away from me!" she snapped, "You're a disgusting pig."

"Please let me apologise." Krum pleaded.

"Apologise for what?" Hermione growled, "For your disgusting behaviour at the ball, or for selling your story to the highest bidder? Or maybe you're just feeling sorry for yourself, for ruining your marriage. Which one is it?"

"For all of it," He said and glanced over her shoulder, swallowing hard. He didn't get a chance to say anything else as Draco landed a fist on his jaw, then grabbed him by the throat and pushed him against the wall.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Draco snarled, "Are you following her?"

"No," Krum choked out, "I just saw her, and wanted to apologise."

"Draco!" Hermione yelped, and grabbed his arm, "Stop."

Draco ignored her, "So you just happened to be here at the exact same time she was?" Draco yelled, "You're fucking full of shit Krum. Stay the fuck away from her."

Hermione wrenched his arm away from Krum's throat, "Draco, stop!"

Draco glared at her, "I told you if he came near you again, I would hurt him."

"I didn't think you were serious!" she shook her head, "You said it yourself, this is what he wants. And I don't want you to be front page news tomorrow. Don't do this. Not for _him_." She spat the last word at Krum.

Krum had his own hand on his throat, gasping for breath, "I wasn't following her," he managed to choke out.

"Then why are you here?" Draco snapped.

"I'm here for other business," He said.

"Divorce proceedings must be killing you," Draco sneered.

Krum's face went red, "I'm sorry. I saw the two of you together and I got jealous-"

"Jealous? Yeah, I know all about that. But when I get jealous, I don't sell my story to make myself feel like a big man. What you did was unforgivable." He stepped closer to him, Hermione grabbed his arm again, but he shook her away, "If you come near her again...what Longbottom did to you will be child's play, I'll kill you. You stay the fuck away from her. From us." He glanced towards the counter, and gave them an apologetic look. He'd call Blaise and explain when they got home.

In the split second it took for Draco to glance away, Krum, proving why he was considered the world's best seeker, moved quickly. He shoved at Draco's chest forcing him backwards and grabbed Hermione's arm and they both disappeared instantly.

Draco stared, completely stunned, at the now vacant spot where they both were just standing. What the hell had just happened? And where the hell had he taken her? Hermione was obviously as off guard as he was, she would never have allowed anything like that to happen, ever. After her torture at the hands of his aunt, she never let her guard down, but evidently Krum had thrown her.

The gasps from the patrons in the cafe pulled him from his stupor. They were all staring wide-eyed at the same place he was. Krum was clearly desperate to disapperate in front of muggles. Draco grabbed his wand and cast an _Obliviate_ charm across the cafe and fished his phone from his pocket.

"Harry! He's got her!" Draco yelled into the phone, "Get here now."

"Draco?"Harry sounded alarmed, "Who's got who? Where are you?""

"Krum, he's got Hermione. He's taken her." Draco shouted, "At the cafe. Get here now!"

Harry and Ron arrived less than a minute later, followed by two more Aurors from the office. Harry looked around at the dazed faces of the diners and frowned.

"What happened?"

"He disapperated them both in front of everyone," Draco explained, "I used _Obliviate_."

"Draco! What the hell?" Blaise and Graham had arrived; Ivy, the witch that worked there had called them.

Draco gripped his head, pulling his hair, "Krum was here, he's taken Hermione."

"Fuck!" Graham hissed, "We have to get these people out of here." But the Aurors who had arrived with Harry and Ron were already ushering them out the door, telling them there was a gas leak, and it wasn't safe.

"What happened, Draco?" Ron asked.

Draco relayed the story, how it was just seconds after they had arrived that Krum had shown up, that Draco had punched and threatened him, and how Krum had grabbed Hermione and disapparated.

"He said he wasn't following her, that it was simply a coincidence that he was here at the same time." Draco obviously didn't believe it, "It's not possible. He had to have been following us. There was no way he could have known we would be here today, it was a last minute choice and it's been weeks since we've been here. Where the fuck has he taken her!?"

Ron grabbed his shoulder, "He can't go far, you know that. They still have to be in England somewhere, he can't take her out of the country. He'd need a portkey and he'd need permission to do that."

"There's no trace of them," One of the Aurors that had arrived with Harry and Ron said, "He's concealed himself, Ms Granger as well."

"How?" Blaise asked, "Hermione could easily break through a concealment charm."

"He's apparated them and put wards up," The Auror explained, "She won't be able to break an anti-apparition ward that he's set up. No matter how strong she is."

"You're right," Harry said to Draco, "He's too organised for this to be a coincidence, he's planned this for some time."

"I'll tear him apart when I find him!" Draco roared, "They'll be finding pieces of that fucker across the globe!"

* * *

Hermione pulled away from him the second they landed, and instantly tried to disapparate. But Krum had obviously put wards up, trapping her.

"What the fuck are you doing!?" She screamed at him.

"I have to talk to you and that filthy Death Eater won't let me!" Krum yelled back.

"And you really thought that this was the best idea?" She was still backing away from him, "He's going to be even more pissed. And it won't be just him that comes looking for you!"

"They won't find me. They won't find _us_ " Krum said, his lip turning up into a sneer, "Look at you, the great Hermione Granger. Britain's most talented witch. Trapped, with nowhere to go."

Hermione sucked in a breath, her heart skipped beat at his words, _what the fuck was he planning?_ She forced herself to remain calm. He hadn't bound her, or used any sort of magic on her – yet. He wasn't forcing himself on her, but that smirk, there was something there, something in his eyes, something all too familiar. She'd seen it before; the crazy, obsession that she had seen in the face of her last tormentor. That time she had been weak and frightened, unable to fight back; this time she was ready. Viktor was not in Bellatrix's realm of crazy, but he was close.

"Fine!" Hermione snapped, not caring if she angered him. Her fingers twitched at her sides, but she held off, she wanted to know what he was up to. Plus, the longer she held him off, the more time it gave Draco and Harry to find her. The Aurors office would have been the first call Draco made, and Harry would have received it, "You've trapped me here, now talk."

He stepped towards her, and she took a corresponding step backwards. She wasn't sure exactly where they were. It wasn't his house, or anywhere that she could recognise that they'd been together. It looked old; large bluestone brick walls and a hardwood floor, possibly a castle, and instinctively she knew they were under ground, _could he be more cliché?_

"You shouldn't be with him," Krum said, his voice was low, "You should only ever be with me. He doesn't deserve you, only I do."

"You keep saying that," Hermione said, trying to keep her voice even, "But you've yet to give me a reason."

Krum's expression didn't waver; it remained immutable, giving nothing away. His wand was suddenly in his hand, and she took another step back, hitting the wall. Her arms flew above her head and her wrists were bound.

She bit the inside of her cheek to stop the smirk that threatened to cross her face. He should have stuck to Quidditch, the spells he was using were amateurish and easily countered. But she'd play his little game; let him think he was in control. The Aurors needed as much time a she could give them.

"I don't have to give you a reason. I had you first, you belong to me." He said with a spiteful glare, "I loved you and you left me for _him_."

"I never left you for him," Hermione countered, "I gave you plenty of time to be with me."

"No," he sneered, "You just fucked me and left. You _never_ gave me a chance."

"You had three years; I think that's more than enough time," Hermione said, "You're the one who got married, not me! _You_ Viktor, _you_ got married to another woman."

"Did it make you jealous?" a hint of a smile creased his lips.

She shot him a surprised look, he couldn't possibly believe that him being married would make her jealous, "Really? You married her to make me jealous? Surely you didn't think that would work? That's idiotic."

His tiny smile disappeared instantly, "It would have worked, but that Death Eater got in your head. After everything we shared, I thought I meant something to you, but you just gave it all up for _him_. Was I not good enough for you?" He gave a short barking laugh, "That's rich, coming from a mudblood." She watched him as he paced around the room, so blinded with anger he didn't realise what he'd just called her, "Do you know what it was like to see you with him? To know what you were _doing_ with him? I've been following you for months, watching you with him. Watching him touch you, kiss you," He screwed his face up in disgust, "He's just been using you to make himself look good; you're just too blind to see it. You should be happy that I've taken you away from him."

Hermione realised that she'd been wrong; he _was_ as crazy as Bellatrix. He seemed to have forgotten the last few years, forgotten that they were never actually together. She was staring at him in disbelief; he could not possibly be serious about this. It seemed that in his head Draco was the reason they weren't together. It had nothing to do with his marriage, or the fact that he had not pursued her, he simply believed that it was all Draco's fault. Clearly he had snapped, and she guessed it was the pictures and stories that appeared the news after they had left Hogwarts that had set him off.

Hermione studied him for a moment; his eyes were agitated and he had a disturbed look on his face, "So you thought that kidnapping me would solve this?"

"I didn't kidnap you, I only took what's mine," he said with patronising arrogance. He stepped closer to her and ran his finger along her jaw and down her neck, then leaned in to whisper in her ear, "You're mine Hermione. No one else will touch you ever again. Only me. And you'll do well to remember that."

 _Oh, he did not touch me_ , Hermione thought, the closeness of him had her heart in overdrive. Adrenaline surged through her, but she kept herself calm, not wanting to give anything away. The arrogant bastard thought he could win this; she would have to set him straight.

She forced a smile to her lips, "Maybe you're right," she said in a resigned tone, "Maybe I am yours."

Krum's lips twitched, his sneer turning into a small smile, "Will you tell him that?"

She smiled back at him, a sweet smile that lit up her face, masking her true feelings, "Of course I will, just as soon as he gets here," she frowned, "But I guess can't tell him, he won't know where I am."

"I look forward to seeing his face when you tell him," he waved his wand. Hermione guessed he'd just let the wards down. She wanted to laugh, the man truly was an idiot.

"Viktor," she said in a quiet voice, still playing his game, "My arms, can you please...?"

He gave her a smile that said he knew he was in control, that he was winning, that he had her begging. It was his last mistake. He held his wand up and she felt her shoulders relax. Hermione stepped towards him and looped her still bound hands over his head. She saw a glimmer of hope in his eyes but he had underestimated her; he simply had no idea what she was capable of.

"Oh Viktor," she purred at him, "You really should have followed my life closer. It's been almost five years since we were anything, and so much has changed. And I'm not talking about Draco." She watched as the bindings fell to the floor as she silently unbound her hands using a counter spell. With her hands behind his head, Viktor was completely oblivious to what was actually happening and was dumbstruck when she placed a free hand on his chest.

"How..?" He was looking at her freed hand, "No wand..."

"I warned you to stay away from me, but I guess you _are_ as stupid as everyone thinks." She ran a finger across his cheek, her voice no longer purring at him. She was enraged; her voice was cold and dripping with venom. Viktor had chosen the wrong person to be obsessed with. The vow she had made to herself after Bellatrix had held her captive, was now surging through her; Viktor's eyes went wide, the obsession and control disappearing in a heartbeat, replaced by confusion and fear, and she saw the sudden realisation hit him of just how much danger he had had put himself in. "You think you know me? Let me tell you something, you know nothing at all."

Krum heard her whisper and tried to take a step back, but it was too late; he suddenly found himself flying backwards. He landed heavily on the opposite side of the room. His head hit the brick wall with a loud crack and he was knocked out cold. Hermione walked slowly over to him, and waved her hand across him, his body stiffening as the _Petrificus Totalus_ curse took hold and then flicked her wrist, _Incarcerous_ she whispered, tying his hands and feet for good measure.

She tried to disapperate, but couldn't. She was surprised; the wards were still up, _Damn him_ , he hadn't lowered them. She guessed he had only lowered the concealment charm. _Fuck,_ she thought, _it could be hours before they Aurors arrived._

She backed away, her eyes never leaving him, until she bumped into the wall furthest away from him. She slid down it, hers shoulders throbbing from her arms being above her head for so long, and she breathed a sigh of relief. Of course she still had no idea of where she was, or how she would get out since there was no discernible exit, but Krum was out cold and she was safe.

She pulled her knees to her chest and stared at the unconscious body in front of her. The person she once knew had vanished and had been replaced with someone full of rage and malevolence. What had happened inside his head to make him think that this was okay? That taking her against her will would make her fall in love with him.

She leaned her head back against the wall and closed her eyes, how could she have missed him following her? How had she not seen him? And how long had it been going on? He had said months, but if it was seeing the pictures of her and Draco together that had set him off, then it he had been following them for over a year. It made her sick to her stomach to think he'd been following her, following them, for all that time.

She berated herself for not taking more care after his outburst at the World Cup Ball. But she honestly had never once suspected that Krum would be capable of something like this. Not the Viktor Krum she knew anyway. He had been kind and caring, he was the man who had fallen in love (or so she thought) with Anka and married her two years ago. This person laying in front of her? Well, she had no idea who he was.

She shifted on the hard floor, trying to get more comfortable. She was certain she would be in for a long wait before the Aurors found her. She sighed and shook her head, preparing for what would be a long wait and thinking; _a little less drama would be nice._

* * *

It had been almost eight hours since Hermione disappeared with Krum. Draco had been pacing the carpet in the Aurors offices for the last half hour, "Why is this taking so fucking long!? Why can't you just put a trace on him?"

"We're doing our best Draco, he can't leave the country with her, but he's hidden himself too well. And you know she'll be putting up a fight," Harry held up his hand, gesturing that he knew she could do wandless magic, but not wanting the other Aurors to know, "We can't just trace him, we can't give him anything that will allow him to go free. Everything we do has to be protocol, you know that."

Draco huffed out a breath, "I know, but...gah!..I hate this."

"Tell us exactly what happened, start at the beginning." Ron said.

"I've already told you," Draco snapped, "Several times."

"I know," Harry told him, "But maybe there's something you missed. Something small, something that you may not have even realised."

Draco nodded and took a steadying breath, "Everything was perfect this morning. I woke her up to tell her I had a surprise for her," he ran his hand through his hair, "And I took her to see the house I bought us. And then we went to Blaise's for lunch."

"And you didn't see him there? At the house I mean." Harry had been surprised when Draco had said that he had taken her to see their new house. He had become accustomed to them living with him, but kept his disappointment in check. That was a discussion for later.

"No," Draco told him, "But we weren't looking for him. Why would we have been?"

"And you haven't seen him following you?" Ron asked.

Draco shrugged, "No, but like I said, we weren't looking for him. None of us have been. I thought he'd said piece at the ball, but I guess I was wrong. How could I have missed this? Missed him?"

"This is not your fault Draco," Harry said, "This is all Krum. If he hadn't grabbed her today, who knows when it would have been? But what we do know is that he would have done it, clearly he planned it, and there was no way you could have known when or where."

Draco slumped down into the chair near Harry's desk, "What if he's hurt her? I'll never forgive myself. I shouldn't have let him near her."

Draco was furious at himself. If he'd only hit Krum harder in the cafe, he would never have pushed him away, never taken her. He could have used magic and the just _Obliviated_ the muggles, it's what happened anyway. He couldn't stand not knowing where she was, not knowing if she was hurt. Hermione had finally managed to get his insane Aunt out of her head and he hoped that this wouldn't bring her back.

He glanced out the window, the sky was growing dark. He closed his eyes and put his head in his hands, "Where the fuck is she?" he almost whispered.

Ron glanced at Harry, neither of them would have ever believed that this would have been a scenario they would ever have been involved in. Their best friend kidnapped and their former rival devastated at her disappearance. They'd both seen Draco agitated and angry before, but this was different. As frustrated as they were, Draco was more so. He was clearly distressed, Hermione's kidnapping had him on edge, and the anger that was generated because of it was directed straight at Krum. They were both sure that, if given the chance, Draco would put Krum into the ground.

But along with the agitation and anger, came a vulnerability that they hadn't expected. The tough guy persona that they knew all too well was cracking as the weight of what was happening, and the possibility of her being hurt, crashed down on him. He was holding himself together, but the fear in his eyes was unmistakable.

Ron gripped Draco's shoulder, "This is Hermione, she'll figure out a way to let us know where she is."

"But what if she can't?" Draco stood up and started pacing again, "What if he's..." he swallowed, unable to finish his sentence. They could both almost hear what he was thinking; _it's Bellatrix all over again._

"Draco, she's not that person anymore," Harry stood in front of him, stopping his pacing, "She's strong and she'll fight back, you know she will."

Draco nodded, "I know, it's just...can she go through this again?"

"She's got you to come home to," Ron told him, "She'll be fine."

The door flew open, and a breathless Auror ran into the room, "We've got her."

* * *

A loud groan startled her. Her eyes flew open and she looked around, panicked. It was completely dark. She flicked her wrist casting a _Lumos_ charm and lighting up the room. Her arse was numb and her back stiff, indicating that she had been dozing for some time. She shivered at the freezing temperature that had filled the room.

"Hermione?" Krum groaned, and she watched as he tried to move. His body squirmed stiffly, the body-binding curse she used holding fast, "What did you do!?" he almost screamed.

"I bound you," she said simply, "I told you should have taken more care with who you mess with."

He was trying to look at her, but she had bound him so completely that he couldn't turn his head, "You don't have a wand."

"I don't need one." She waved her hand in his direction, silencing him. His eyes went wide as he tried to speak. He opened his mouth in what Hermione could only guess was an attempt to scream, but no sound emerged.

"Draco was right, you are an idiot," she spat, "You're the one who brought us here, you clearly didn't want anyone to find us, so even if you could scream, who's going to hear you?"

The wide-eyed expression on his face dropped, as he realised that she was right. His mouth kept moving, trying to speak to her, but it was no use.

Hermione laughed, "Oh come one Viktor, you can do better than that," she taunted him, "Surely you can break my spells, I mean I broke yours. And rather easily might I say. I guess you are as stupid as everyone thinks you are."

He glared at her, mouthing what she could only imagine was an impressive compilation of expletives.

Hermione laughed, "What's that? You'll have to speak up, I can't hear you." She laughed again as his face went red with rage, his mouth still silently screaming at her, "How does it feel, Viktor, to be held against your will? To not know what i might do to you? Did you ever think that it wasn't Draco, that it was me that didn't want to speak to you?"

Krum was still glaring at her, his mouth silently responding, but she didn't care what he had to say.

"You mean nothing to me, not anymore," she continued, "You disgust me. You were just a giant mistake, one I wish I could take back. I should have never let you touch me. I should never have let you take what should have been Draco's. From this moment on, you no longer exist." she shifted her gaze from him and stared at the wall, ignoring the pleading looks from Krum.

A loud explosion suddenly filled the room, startling them both. Hermione covered her head with her arms as shattering bricks and splintering wood flew across the room.

"She's here!" it was a voice she didn't recognise, and in seconds the room was filled with people; Draco, Harry and Ron, and four other Aurors she didn't know.

"Hermione?" Draco rushed to her, dropping to his knees in front of her and cupping her face.

Hermione blinked and shook her head, "Hey," she said looking dazed.

"Are you okay? Did he hurt you?" He pulled her to him, engulfing her in his arms.

She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, "No, he didn't hurt me" she said, "I didn't let him."

Draco hugged her tightly, running his hand across her back. He kissed her temple and pressed his cheek to hers. His heart was racing, she was safe and unharmed, and she was back in his arms. He swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat, hugging her tighter. She'd only been gone for eight hours, but he'd been out of his mind with terror, not knowing if she was hurt.

"Where are we?" she asked.

"Scotland," he told her, "An old muggle tower in the middle of the forest."

"But how did you find me?" She looked over his shoulder at Harry and Ron.

"When he lowered the concealment charm, the idiot put a trace on himself, it was just enough to find him." Harry explained, "But we couldn't come to you immediately, we had to follow protocol. The Aurors didn't want to do anything that would allow him to go free."

"How'd you get him to do it?" Ron asked.

Hermione looked at Krum, still bound and unmoving on the hard floor, "He's an idiot, he'd believe anything," she spat. They all looked at her, not sure what she meant, "I told that _maybe_ I should be with him, that I'd tell Draco when he arrived, so the moron lowered the wards. As if I'd want anything to do with him."

"That's my girl," Draco said against her ear, "I'm sorry it took so long to get to you."

"It's okay,' she told him, "You're here now."

"Stupid fucker, did you honestly believe you could best her?" Ron growled, crouching down beside Krum.

Harry squatted down on the opposite side of him, "You look surprised Krum. You didn't think we'd find you, did you?"

"You thought you planned this so well," Ron said in a ridiculing tone, "But in all this, you forgot about Hermione. You forgot just how brilliant she is."

"It must have been a surprise," Harry sneered, "That she doesn't need a wand. That she can do silent magic. You spent all that time following her and you still really don't know her at all."

"And all it took was your pride," Ron sneered at him, "You can't honestly think she'd ever leave Draco for you?"

"Okay, enough taunting," one of the other Aurors said, "Get him up."

Harry waved his wand at Krum, but there was no change. He frowned and tried again. Ron sniggered, and raised his own wand, and ended up with the same result. They shared an uncomfortable look, knowing they'd have to ask Hermione to release him.

"Hermione?" Harry said cautiously, "Um, we need you to, um, free him so we can move him. We can't undo your curse."

Hermione considered what Harry was saying, and shrugged her shoulder at him, "Oh, well. That's too bad."

Harry grinned, "While, as your friend, I agree with you, I still have to do my job. Please undo the curse."

She stood looking at Krum for almost a full minute, the other Aurors sharing glances with Harry and Ron, all were concerned that she wouldn't let him go. Finally Hermione sighed and waved her hand at him, releasing the curse that she had put on him hours ago. She'd be surprised if he could actually move.

Harry and Ron pulled him unceremoniously off the floor, not giving him a chance to adjust to being free.

"Fuck you, you stupid fucking bitch!" Krum screamed at her, his numb legs sliding out from beneath him. Harry and Ron let him fall, his body thumping to the floor causing him to groan in pain. They wrenched him back up, twisting his arms behind his back.

"You won't get the chance to fuck me ever again." Hermione smiled mockingly at him, and then glanced up at Draco, "There's only one person that will get to do that."

Draco crossed the room, his wand out, pointed directly at Krum, "Call her a bitch again," he snarled at him, "Just give me the chance..."

"Stupid fucking Death Eater scum!" Krum yelled.

Draco took another step forward but Hermione touched his arm, "Draco," she said softly, "Please just leave him. He's a coward, and not worth any of our time."

Draco looked at her hand on his arm, and then looked back to Krum, "Just think of me and what I'm doing with her while you're rotting away in Azkaban. I hope your last thought is of me fucking her when a dementor kisses you and you spend the rest of your life pissing and shitting in your own pants."

He turned back to Hermione and leaned down to kiss her. He held her to him, and she realised what he was doing. He wanted Krum to remember this moment, wanted his last look at her to be this; Draco kissing her, ensuring that Krum knew that she was his. She smiled against his mouth, and slid her arms around his waist. The kiss went on and on, while Krum was screaming at them as Harry and Ron dragged him out.

* * *

"Hey," Draco said quietly as he climbed into bed beside her. She had her back to him, and was staring into space, "Is everything okay?"

She rolled to face him, laying her head on the pillow and tucking her hands beneath her cheek, "Yeah, I'm fine," she told him. She reached her hand out, cupping his jaw and brushing her thumb across his cheek. She studied his face, his blue-grey eyes, and his fair skin, "I love you."

"I love you too," Draco said, his face just inches away from hers, "I didn't know where you were and I was going out of my mind."

"But you found me, and you brought me back home."

"I will always find you. No matter where you are, I will find you," He smiled, covering her hand with his own, "But it wasn't all me, I think you took pretty good care of yourself."

"I guess," she sighed, "How did we not see him?"

"Like I told Harry and Ron, we weren't looking for him." Draco said.

Hermione frowned, her eyes shifting from Draco to stare blankly over his shoulder. They lay together quietly for several minutes before Draco spoke.

"Talk to me. Tell me what's going on in that head of yours."

"Why do we need so many bedrooms?" she asked, her gaze returning to him.

Draco smiled at her, "Really? After everything that happened today, that's what's concerning you?"

She gave him a small nod, "It's not the only thing, but I had a lot of time to think today," She shrugged, "And I just...I guess it's not important."

He leaned in and kissed the tip of her nose, "No, clearly this _is_ important. You spent eight hours as a hostage, and this is what you were most concerned about. We can find a different house if you don't like that one."

"No, that's not it. I love the house." She paused gathering her thoughts. She wasn't sure how to exactly approach this, "Draco, we've never talked about anything that might be in our future. Nothing about why we might need such a big house, or so many bedrooms."

Draco held back a laugh, she was tip-toeing around asking him where he thought their future may lay. It wasn't like her to be so delicate, she would usually just say whatever she was thinking. But he guessed that this was different, this was about them, where they were headed. It was about as serious a conversation as it gets.

"Like I said, we might have guests," He teased, knowing he needed to be serious, but unable to help himself, "And if it's anything like this place, we'll need the space."

She slapped his chest lightly, "You know that's not what I mean."

"No, actually, I don't know what you mean," Draco kept his face impassive, intent on making her say exactly what was on her mind. "You're being very cryptic."

"You know what?" Her voice was sharp, "It doesn't matter." She rolled away from him, irritated that he was being so nonchalant about this.

Draco shifted closer to her, pressing his chest to her back. He propped himself up on one elbow, resting his head on his palm. He brushed his free hand across her arm.

"You know I love you," He said softly, "And I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

Hermione's heart skipped a beat; surely he wasn't...No, he wouldn't, not like this. Not after everything that had happened today.

Draco continued, "So a house with that much space, that many bedrooms...that's what I want with you."

Hermione rolled to her back, staring up into his smiling face.

"That's not a proposal," He said, "Not today. I don't want today to be a reminder of my asking you. I _will_ ask you though. On a day when you least expect it, when we've moved into our new home and you've forgotten about today."

"Really?" she asked, not completely sure that he was being serious.

"Really," he replied, "Is that what you wanted to know?"

She twisted her mouth into a smile, and rolled her eyes "Yes, that's what I wanted to know."

"Well, I'm glad we cleared that up," he said and then frowned, "You could ask me, you know? It doesn't have to be me asking you."

Hermione laughed, "Yeah, right! You and your traditional ways, you'd be pissed if I asked you."

"Yeah, you're right," he agreed and kissed her. He shifted and lay beside her, pressing against the length of her, his chin resting on her shoulder, his arm reaching across her waist, "I'm happy you're safe."

"I'm happy you found me." She relaxed into him, her fingertips running absent-mindedly across his forearm.

"So I can expect the whole Hero Worship thing now?"

Hermione snorted a laugh, "Yes, yes you can," she turned her head and kissed his forehead, "My hero."

Draco laughed, "Just as I always suspected. Hermione Granger worshiping Draco Malfoy."

* * *

 **A/N:** Again, thanks for the reviews; I'm extremely overwhelmed with the support. Apologies for the delay in updating...life, work, three year old.

CH 8 came about from an idea from a discussion with a book-loving friend who, after reading my original version, pointed out that there are so many stories that have psycho ex-wives/ex-girlfriends/jilted ex-lovers, but not so many of the male version (We know they're out there, we just seem to read more of the female version)...that's how Krum became the bad guy, simple as that.


	9. Chapter 9

Narcissa Malfoy.

Narcissa...Malfoy.

Narcissamalfoy.

It made no difference how many times she said it inside her head the outcome was still the same. Narcissa was Draco's mother, nothing could change that. And she was going to have to deal with her whether she wanted to or not. It was just another hurdle she had to scramble over. And in her mind, this was the biggest one yet.

Narcissa was about to be released from Azkaban after serving her three year stint. Hermione knew that Draco had had very limited contact with her – one owl a month was Narcissa's allowance – but she had never asked him anything. In hindsight she should have. A month out from his mother's release was probably not the ideal time to finally talk to him about it.

It had been bothering her for days, and when Draco asked her what was wrong, she waved him away, telling him it was nothing. He had said nothing further, allowing her to sort out whatever it was that was worrying her, knowing she'd talk to him when she was ready. After everything they'd been through, all the drama, all the tantrums, all the arguments, she would have thought that this would have been easy to talk to him about. But this was his mother. His mother who had been in prison. She had no clue as to how to ask him about it. He didn't talk about her himself, so how was she supposed to broach the subject.?

The concern she had about talking to Draco was nothing compared to her panicked state over Narcissa. What would she really think? How would she feel about her son being with a muggle-born? One that was branded as a mudblood by her own sister. If her trial and her time spent in Azkaban had changed her, Hermione figured there probably wouldn't be a problem, but if it hadn't, if she was still the same Narcissa Malfoy that Hermione remembered, well, she was sure there would be fireworks.

Narcissa's reputation certainly preceded her. Her name was one that turned heads, that sparked awe-like whispers and conversations that sent shivers down the spines of the most hardened witches and wizards. She was of a long pure blood line, and of course it was well known what her exact views on blood purity were. And here was her son, raised as a purist, living, and sleeping with, a muggle born -the lowest of lows in purist circles. It didn't bode well for a happy homecoming.

And, of course, with her impending release, the whispers and rumours had started all over again.

They had only just managed to put the whole incident with Krum behind them. His trial had been a media circus; the golden boy of Quidditch turning into a monstrous thug. The press had been relentless in their pursuit of them, and when they didn't get the comments they craved, they simply made stories up. The rumours that they had printed regarding Draco being the reason she and Krum were no longer together were rehashed, and until his trial, she and Draco had become the bad guys; Krum's actions being justified away.

And then the truth came out.

And then they were hounded relentlessly again.

The reporters told them that they only wanted the truth, their side of the story. They had both refused, but their refusal to talk did nothing to dissuade them, in fact, if anything, it made it worse, to the point where the Aurors office had to put a protection order on them, which led to Draco and Hermione finally being left alone, their faces no longer gracing the front page on a regular basis.

But the _Daily Prophet_ had started an almost daily countdown to Narcissa's release, which did nothing to help her nervousness. As much as Hermione tried to avoid it, it was near impossible. Talk of Narcissa followed her everywhere, with people speculating on whether she would approve of her son's muggle-born girlfriend and what a shock it must have been when she found out. Everyone assumed that Narcissa would automatically hate her, and that fireworks would most definitely ensue. Draco was being reaccused of using her to hide his true pure blood beliefs, and now there was a constant commentary on who he would side with; his girlfriend or his mother. And along with that, came the questions regarding Hermione and how she'd react when she was inevitably pushed aside.

And the rumours and whispers followed her everywhere. She had been constantly bombarded with questions from patients at St Mungos, asking if she'd already met Narcissa, and how she felt about her and what Draco thought, and did she think he would stay with her. The questions went on and on. She kept a smile plastered on her face, and politely declined to comment. But it didn't stop there. She had been met several times outside the hospital as she was leaving. She couldn't disapparate from inside the building; there was an anti-disapparation barrier to stop patients who thought they knew better than their Healers from leaving. So she had no choice but to face the vultures – as she had named them – before stepping outside the barrier, and disapparating without a comment. And she only imagined it would get worse once Narcissa was released. She was sure there would be a mad scramble to get a picture of them together, and she was doubly sure that the hope was that picture was one of them arguing.

Hermione sighed, staring at the Sunday edition of the daily prophet, her own face glaring back at her. Surely there was something much more newsworthy than she and Draco and Narcissa. She folded the paper in half and pushed it across the counter, putting Narcissa out of her mind, at least temporarily, and went about brewing tea in the kitchen that Draco had claimed as his own.

She had risen early, leaving Draco snoring in bed after an exhaustive week of his own, and planned on spending the time between now and when he woke, in the library – her own little sanctuary. The quietness of a Sunday morning at home was pure bliss compared with the hustle and bustle of the manic activity at the hospital.

She was wearing Draco's old Slytherin t-shirt; the one McGonagall caught her wearing in their dorm at Hogwarts, the one they always fought over. She told him that it looked better on her anyway, regardless of the fact that she was a Gryffindor. He still claimed ownership of it, but despite his whining about his precious t-shirt, she knew he loved her wearing it. Her legs and were bare, the hem of the t-shirt coming to just above her mid-thigh. The fire in the enormous fireplace in the living room was more than enough to keep the house warm, but she loved the feel of the cool floorboards on her bare feet.

She padded silently across the living room and into the library, curling up on the chaise and pulling the knitted throw rug that Molly had given them across her legs. She quieted her mind; the blustery morning had turned into a mild storm and the rain on the glass outside was the only sound she wanted to hear. She picked up her book and immersed herself, forgetting all about the world and Narcissa Malfoy.

* * *

"Ah-ha! T-shirt thief!"

"Argh!" Hermione yelped, "Fuck! You scared the shit out of me!"

Draco smirked from the doorway, "Well, a t-shirt thief such as yourself deserves to have the shit scared out of them." He crossed the room and leaned down to kiss her.

"If I remember correctly, I won this t-shirt in a bet." She grinned at him.

"A fake bet, if I recall." he laughed and lay down beside her, tugging half the blanket over him, "A fake bet that saved your arse."

" _My_ arse?" Hermione looked insulted, "You were in _my_ bed, if I recall correctly. I was completely innocent."

Draco snorted, "Innocent? Yeah right!" He kissed her, "Seductress, more like."

Hermione laughed, "You don't own another t-shirt?" She ran her hand across his bare chest. He'd put on pyjama pants, but clearly he was making point about his t-shirt.

"Nope," he shook his head and ran his hand across her hip and down the warm skin of her thigh, pulling her leg over his his, "That's the only one I have. I'll just have to walk around half naked."

She put her book on the side table, "I don't have a problem with that." She leaned in and kissed him, "But everyone else might...although Ginny probably won't, since she's a perv."

Draco scrunched his face up, "Yeah, I don't need Ginny perving on me, maybe I'll just wear your Gryffindor one."

"Oh, please do!" Hermione laughed, "I'll make a fortune from the photos!"

Draco pinched her hip, "So, are you actually going to tell me what's been worrying you, or do you need to stew on it for a few more days?"

"I didn't know that mind reading was amongst your talents." Hermione said.

Draco tapped her forehead with his index finger, "I don't need to be a mind reader, it's all over your face."

She took a deep breath, steeling her nerves, "Your mother."

Draco had been waiting for this. For almost two weeks now Hermione had been in a state over something, and since it coincided with the Daily Prophet's first story about his mother's release, he assumed that's what had been bothering her, "What do you want to know?" he asked.

"Does she know about me?" Hermione hunched her shoulders, as if she was trying to protect herself from the answer.

"She does."

Hermione rolled her eyes, "And?"

"Honestly?" Draco said, and Hermione nodded, "She wasn't happy."

"Oh," It was just what she'd expected, but she was still disappointed, her mind instantly wondering how it would impact on her and Draco. Narcissa was his mother; she was the one who had bargained for his life, she was the one who had protected him, so where did that leave her? "So what does that mean?"

"It means that I had no contact with her for almost a year," he tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, "It means that no matter what her opinion is this isn't going to change."

"A year?" Hermione was surprised, "Really?"

"Really. I refused to answer any correspondence from her, when all it said was how wrong for me you were and that I should look for someone more appropriate," Draco shook his head, "But she doesn't know you, not at all, and she has no say in this. She's either happy or she's not. That's her issue, not ours."

"But she's your mother," Hermione said.

"And?" Draco gave her a questioning look.

"We're going to have to deal with her," Hermione pointed out, "She's not someone that we can avoid. Is that what you want? No contact with her? Because I just can't see you doing that. Regardless of what she thinks of us, of me, she's still your mother."

"Yes, she is," he agreed, "But she has no say in who I share my life with. That's not her choice, that's all mine. And regardless of what you think, I can quite easily avoid her."

Hermione huffed out a breath, "But she already hates me and thinks I'm not good enough for her only son, and you'll make it worse by cutting her out of your life."

"You're more than good enough," He assured her, "And if she wants to be in my life, she will have no choice but to find that out for herself. In fact, sometimes I wonder how I got so lucky."

She kissed him quickly, "You're still a pathetic sap, you know that?"

"And you're still with me," he countered playfully, "Does that make us both pathetic?"

"No, only you," she told him, "You've been pining after me for years."

"Yes, I have," He admitted, "But you're the one who seduced me with your wily ways."

"Yeah, right. That's exactly what happened," Hermione laughed, "So you've not heard from her since?"

"Will you stop worrying about this?" Draco said.

"Draco," she gave him a glare that said she would continue worrying no matter how much he tried to reassure her that his mother would not be a concern.

"Fine," Draco said, "Yes, I've heard from her. She sent an owl two months ago, without any mention of you. Only that she wanted to be sure that I would see her when she got out."

"And you told her yes?"

"I told her that I would most definitely meet her, but only with you."

"So, no pressure then?" Hermione was frowning.

"No, there's no pressure. None at all," He said, "Hermione, she will like you or she won't. That doesn't change the way I feel about you, and isn't that what matters?"

Hermione pursed her lips, "So you're saying I should just forget about her? Not let it worry me?"

"Exactly," he told her, sliding his hand along the hem of her t-shirt, "Now, I believe there are rules regarding t-shirt thievery."

"Hmm," she hummed, the warmth of his hand seeped into her skin distracting her thoughts, "And what rules would they be?"

"The thief must return said t-shirt, or punishment will ensue."

"The only way you will get this off me is if you tear it off." She challenged.

His hand moved higher along her ribs and he sniggered, "Challenge accepted thief."

* * *

"So Draco," Narcissa said giving Hermione the once over, "This is who you've chosen?"

Narcissa had been out of Azkaban for almost six weeks, and while she had wanted to see Draco almost immediately, he had refused until she agreed to meet with Hermione. She finally agreed and they'd decided to meet at a Blaise and Graham's cafe – semi-neutral ground was Draco's thinking. At least it was public, and the fact that they'd be surrounded mostly by muggles meant there was less chance of the gossip reporters finding them.

Draco felt Hermione tense beside him, and he squeezed her hand, "Yes mother, this is Hermione. And I'll ask you to take care with your words. Hermione is not a _she_ or a _this_. Hermione is her name and it would do you well to call her by it."

"My apologies, Hermione," Narcissa said with as much sincerity as she could muster.

Hermione plastered a fake smile on her face. Narcissa may have changed, but if the current look of barely contained distain on her face was any indication, it was only by a small margin, "It's lovely to finally meet you Narcissa." She said in a sickly sweet voice.

She had come here planning on being civil and polite, to make things easier for Draco. So he wouldn't be forced to choose between the two. But right now, Narcissa's attitude had her on edge. He said that there was no choice, that Narcissa would just have to learn to change her purist ways and accept her, or Draco would refuse to see her. She knew he meant it to be supportive, but it felt like she was being used as blackmail.

Narcissa gave her an equally fake smile and turned to Draco, virtually ignoring her, "Darling, tell me about your work."

"Both of us work at St Mungos, I'm in the potions lab, as you know, but Hermione is a Healer. One of their best." He squeezed Hermione's thigh in an attempt to reassure her that everything would be fine. But it was no use. Narcissa wasn't happy. She'd already made up her mind, and it wasn't going to make a difference, no matter how much Draco praised her.

"But darling, I thought you wanted to have your own Potions company. Why are you working _there_?"

"I have to start somewhere mother," Draco's voice was tight, "Besides, I enjoy working there."

"But St Mungos? Isn't that... _less_... than what you wanted?" Narcissa glanced at Hermione, "No offence, Hermione, I'm sure it's perfect for you."

Hermione glared back at her, "Offence taken," she snapped. Draco's mother or not, she refused to sit there and be insulted, "Why would it be _less_ than what he wanted?"

Narcissa's mouth twitched, holding back the sneer, "Well, Draco always wanted to follow in his Godfather's footsteps. And having his own company has always been his dream."

"Well, he's got one part sorted," Hermione smirked taking Draco's hand and linking their fingers, "He fell in love with a muggle born, just like Severus did."

Narcissa looked at her with a shocked realisation that she was right and Hermione almost laughed. She shook her head, more in disappointment at herself for allowing Narcissa to get under her skin. She had built Narcissa up in her head to be some sort of scary, intimidating force to be reckoned with. But this woman sitting in front of her was none of that. No doubt she was trying to channel the pre-war version of herself and clearly she still thought herself above a lowly muggle born like Hermione. But the domineering woman was long gone, and in her place was woman whose stature and influence no longer existed, and the saddest part was, that she was yet to realise it.

"Let's just get this over with," Hermione said with an over exaggerated sigh, "Clearly you're not happy with this."

"I only want what's best for my son." Narcissa said, as if that was enough justification for her rudeness.

"So you're saying St Mungos isn't good enough?" Hermione was incredulous, "The best Wizard hospital in the world and it's not _good enough_ for him? But it's good enough for me?"

"I meant no offence," Narcissa pointed out, a derisive smile on her face.

"And I said, _offence taken_. Hermione retorted, "Obviously you've decided that I'm not good enough for him either," she pulled up her sleeve, "Could it be because of this? Because my blood isn't pure? Because I'm a filthy mudblood?"

Draco sucked in a breath. It had taken time and patience, and while Hermione was finally comfortable with the scar on her arm, she was still reluctant to have it on display. He knew she was angry; to shove her arm so openly in his mother's face she had to be. He placed his hand gently on her shoulder, but her eyes never left Narcissa.

"I'm sure you remember the screams," Hermione was glowering at her, "Let me remind you that a pure-blood did this to me. Your sister did this. _Your sister_ branded me for the rest of my life. A pure-blood, not a muggle born, not even a half-blood. One of your kind. The kind that are supposed to be the best of us, above us lowly mudbloods."

Draco was surprised at Hermione's outburst, but not as surprised as Narcissa. Her normally emotionless features were now drawn into what he could only describe as shock. No one had ever spoken to Narcissa Malfoy as Hermione Granger just did.

"I never knew-" Narcissa began, she was staring at Hermione's arm, a mixture of horror and surprise on her face, but Hermione cut her off.

"Of course you never knew, Narcissa, because you never cared. I was beneath you, I guess I still am," Hermione said with a shake of her head, "You've already made your mind up and you will never accept me. My blood is dirty and I'll never be good enough for your son. But you seem to have forgotten that the reason that you're not spending your life rotting in prison is thanks to Harry and myself, a half-blood and a mudblood, since your better-than-everyone _pure-blood_ companions were oddly absent at your trial." Hermione stood, "Did you actually think you could come here and sneer at me and try to intimidate me?" Hermione huffed out a laugh, "It won't work. You forget, you've been gone for three years. Your name no longer carries any fear. You're just like the rest of us; a plain, simple nobody."

Hermione held out her arm again, "This scar once gave me nightmares. Your sister lived in my head and caused me nothing but pain. But now it means nothing. _She_ is nothing and I wear this with pride."

Draco pushed his chair back and stood beside Hermione, "Well done mother, you managed to last almost five minutes in the presence of a muggle born before you insulted her. That's a new record for you. I hope you're proud of yourself."

"Draco, darling..."

Draco held up his hand, "Nothing you have to say could mean anything. You couldn't even sit here and talk to her, find out who she is, how amazing she is. You..." He shook his head, disgusted with his mother's attempt to belittle Hermione, "I thought you would have changed, that being in that place would have made you realise that the bullshit that has been stuffed down your throat is wrong. Hermione was right, you have forgotten everything. If it wasn't for her and Harry, I wouldn't be alive and neither would you. It would do you well to think long and hard about that before you decide it wise to insult them or any of their friends. Hermione is in my life, mother, and if you want to be a part of it, you will show her the consideration she deserves." He took Hermione's hand and turned towards the door.

"Hermione, Draco, please just..." Narcissa's shoulders had dropped and her face had softened, "Please sit down."

Hermione looked at Draco, who shrugged, as if to say it was her decision. She narrowed her eyes at Narcissa, wondering what she could possibly say to make her feel any different. She shrugged, she would rise above the hatred being aimed at her and hear Narcissa out. She nodded at Draco and they both sat back down.

"I remember that night. I do remember your screams," Narcissa said quietly, her shoulders convulsing in a small shudder, as if the memory was painful, "And I am truly sorry for what my sister did. And I am truly sorry for what I did."

It was Hermione's turn to be shocked. She had not expected that.

"You are right. You and Mr Potter did more for me and my son than anyone else, including Draco's father. But I should have stepped in that night, I should have done what was right. It wasn't until I thought that Draco's life was in danger, that I realised what despicable choices I had made. Hermione, I'll be honest, you are not who I had hoped my son would choose," she gave Hermione a small smile, "But I can see why he has."

Hermione glanced at Draco, he appeared to be as surprised as she was. Did Narcissa Malfoy really just apologise, say thank you and compliment her all in one breath?

Hermione sat staring in silence at Narcissa, the seconds ticking by, before she responded. "Narcissa, I never expected an apology from you. And I certainly don't need for you to thank me. All I ask is that you not judge me before you know anything about me."

"Hermione, three years is not a long time, in the grand scheme of things. But for me it has seemed like an age has passed. If you are as important to my son as you appear to be, I would like to get to know you better. I ask you to please be patient, and give me time to adjust to all the changes." Narcissa was almost pleading.

"That sounds fair," Hermione said, "I need you to know that I hold no ill will towards you. As I've told Draco, the two of you were both in a situation beyond either of your control, you never stood a chance. Had you gone against the Death Eaters, had you gone against Lucius, you both would have been killed. Harry and I did the right thing at your trial, we simply told the truth about what happened that night. And while you may have acted despicably at the manor, you more than made up for it when you saved Harry's life in the forest. I hope you realise that you owe me nothing and Harry will tell you the same."

Narcissa glanced at Draco, "I told you," he said and squeezed Hermione's thigh.

Narcissa smiled at Hermione's confused face, "My son told me that you are truly wonderful, and from what I've experienced today, I think he's right."

Hermione's face flushed, "Um, thank you," she said quietly, "But I don't think you should judge me on today. My behaviour had not been commendable."

"I don't think you're alone there," Narcissa admitted, "Can we start over?"

Hermione glanced at Draco, who was beaming proudly at her. She had taken on Narcissa Malfoy and won. It hadn't been her intention, not at all. She had only hoped that the two could be courteous and polite to each other for Draco's sake, but to have Narcissa back down, to apologise, to actually compliment her, was more than she had expected. She couldn't help but smile, unable to hold back the complete sense of pride she felt, "I think that would be perfect."

* * *

They were standing side by side, brushing their teeth, readying themselves for bed.

"Sorry about today." She said quietly, "I didn't mean to act like I did."

He rinsed his mouth and wiped a towel across his face, "You only acted the same way she did," he said "You handled her perfectly. I think shock was probably the best option to make her pull her head in."

"Thank you, but I shouldn't have let her get under my skin. She _is_ your mother and I should have shown her a little more respect." Hermione was staring down at her bare feet.

Draco tilted her face up to his, "Stop apologising. It wasn't your fault. She provoked you, you know that. Respect is earned, not just given, and she needs to learn that. Besides, the two of you did end up talking civilly,"

"I guess," she said, "But it shouldn't have taken threats and insults to make it happen."

"Hey, will you stop?" he said, "Stop taking the blame, and stop defending her. I know what she's like; she's stubborn and highly opinionated, but you showed her today that she's not the only one. You showed her that you are strong and won't be treated like a lesser being. I know it will take some time, but I think the two of you will end up with a mutual respect for each other."

"Really?" Hermione was still unsure as to whether that was true. One temper fuelled meeting with Narcissa didn't strike her as a complete success.

"Hermione, it might surprise you, but she does like you," he smiled, "It may take her while to admit it, but so few people have ever spoken to her like you did. You didn't turn into a simpering idiot and take her crap. You didn't back down, instead you stood up for yourself, and by extension, me. She will respect you for that."

Hermione bit her lip, "So she'll be happy that I'm taking care of her baby boy?"

Draco laughed and wiggled an eyebrow at her, "If only she knew just how well you're taking care of me."

Hermione scrunched up her nose, "No, you can't talk about your mother and say things like that in the same sentence."

Draco's expression mirrored hers, "Yeah, you're right. Sorry."

She pressed up on her toes and kissed him, "That's okay, just don't do it again."

"Hey," he called as she disappeared through the door, "I thought I told you that t-shirt is mine!"

He heard her laugh, "And I thought I told you that if you want it back, you'd have to tear it off me."

Draco smirked at himself in the mirror, a warmth spreading low in his belly, and he thanked Merlin that she had chosen to spend her nights in bed with him.

* * *

"So, how did it go?" Ginny asked.

Hermione, Ginny and Pansy had met at Blaise and Graham's cafe a week later. She hadn't yet had the chance to catch them both up on her meeting with Narcissa, and they were both almost jumping out of their skin with anticipation of the details.

"Um," Hermione hummed, absently stirring her tea, "As well as expected, I guess." Draco had been reassuring her every day since their first meeting that once his mother got to know her, she'd love her. And in the back of her mind she knew that was probably true and she was sure that over time she would come to love Narcissa back. But right now she was still apprehensive about anything past the next time they met.

"What does that mean?" Pansy asked, her eyes glaring at her in frustration.

"She spoke to me like I was dirt and tried to ignore me," she told them, and they both shared a look of disgust, "But I showed her my scar, and explained that it was her sister that gave it to me, and I asked her if she remembered my screams."

'And how'd she take that?" Ginny asked, the look of disgust turning into one of admiration for her friend.

"She was slightly stunned," Hermione said a small smile creeping across her face.

"So, the great Narcissa Malfoy was shown her place by a filthy mudblood?" Pansy laughed, "Oh, why was I not there to witness it?"

"Hey! Who are you calling filthy?" Hermione cried with mock offence.

Pansy reached over and patted her hand, "I say it with love, you know that."

"And Draco?" Ginny asked.

"He was completely amazing," she smiled, causing them to both groan. She rolled her eyes, "Sorry, but he was. I didn't like being used as leverage for her to see him, but he all but gave her the ultimatum that if she refused to accept us together then she would not be a part of his life."

"Whoa, he actually said that to her?" Pansy was shocked.

"Pretty much," Hermione shrugged, "She ended up apologising and even thanking me."

"Seriously?" Ginny said, it was her turn to be shocked.

Hermione nodded, "Harry too. I simply pointed out that it was thanks to a mudblood and a half-blood she was given a reduced sentence. I guess she heard some truths that she had tried to pretend didn't exist."

"She tried to intimidate you, so you pulled her into line, you showed her that Hermione Granger is not to be messed with _and_ got her to apologise to you?" Pansy asked with slight awe. Hermione nodded and Pansy took her hand and kissed her knuckles, "You're my hero."

"That was my entire aim, Pans, to impress you," Hermione laughed, "I just hope that we can find some common ground and get along. Draco thinks we will, but I'm just nervous about it. I mean she _is_ Narcissa Malfoy."

"Why are you still worried about her?" Ginny asked, "It sounds to me like you gave Narcissa a lot to think about. She should have known not to treat you like she did. Like you said, you and Harry kept her out of prison for life, she owes you her thanks for that at the very least."

"I know all that, I just that I never wanted my _meet Draco's mother_ moment to go like it did."

"No, there was no other way. You did the exact right thing. You stood up to her. You let her see that she wouldn't push you around or make you feel inferior. This needed to happen or she'd spend the rest of her life treating you like shit. If she doesn't want to know you, then that's her loss." Pansy told her.

Hermione knew that they were both right. As was Draco. She had done nothing wrong. She had simply stood her ground and defended herself. And Pansy was right; it was Narcissa's loss, not hers. She needed to push the constant nag of her out of her head.

"Right, I stood up for myself, she backed down and it ended civilly." she said, effectively ending the conversation, "The Narcissa pocket of my brain is closed."

"Good girl," Pansy said, "Can I just give you one piece of unsolicited advice?"

"Do you give any other kind?" Hermione asked with a grin.

"Smart arse," Pansy poked her tongue out at her, "Do you know the best way to get Narcissa to love you? She's a big softie when it comes to babies; give her a grandchild, she'll love you forever."

Hermione almost choked on her tea, while Ginny and Pansy dissolved into laughter, "That's not funny Parkinson," she coughed, picking up a napkin to wipe her face.

"Oh come on. It was a little bit funny," Pansy said, "Besides, you and Draco would make the most adorable babies."

"If that's what it takes; she can hate me for a while longer." Hermione said.

"So no junior Malfoy's running around any time soon then?" Ginny was smirking at her.

"No, there won't be," She told them both firmly, "And we're not talking about this."

"Touchy subject?" Ginny asked.

"No, not at all," Hermione said, "But all I need is someone to overhear us and I'm back being front page news."

"Fair point," Pansy said, "But just so we're all on the same page, there will be tiny Malfoy's one day?"

Hermione grinned at them, "I'll promise you that, if you two promise me there will be tiny Weasley's and tiny Potter's in your futures." They both stopped laughing, and Hermione sniggered at the looks on their faces, "Touchy subject?"

"Fine, you win," Ginny said, "This subject is off the table."

Hermione laughed, "So, I managed to subdue a villain, how's your week been?"


	10. Chapter 10

Hermione was dressed in a strapless red dress that clung tightly to her, perfectly showing off her figure. Her hair was down, soft curls framing her face. Black heels crisscrossed her feet and ankles adding six inches to her height. She smiled at her reflection in the mirror, before she made her way down the stairs, and into the living room. She smiled at the three faces staring up at her from the couch.

"How do I look?" She gave them a flirty grin and twirled.

Graham let out a low whistle, "Stunning," he said appreciatively, and then looked pointedly at Draco, "You might want to keep a tight grip on her tonight."

It was Friday night and it was Harry's birthday, and they were all meeting at Hermione and Draco's before heading out to celebrate. Blaise and Graham had already arrived, and they were just waiting on the others.

Draco smirked at Graham, "You on the turn, mate?"

Graham laughed and squeezed Blaise's thigh, "Not a chance. I'm just appreciating the beauty that is this woman...who is also smart and talented and-"

Hermione held her hand up, "Stop," she laughed, "You'll make me blush."

Draco stood, holding out his hand. She took it and smiled at him, her heels bringing her height even with his. He brushed his hand down her arm, causing her to shiver slightly, "You look amazing."

She kissed him, "Thanks, you don't look too bad yourself." He was wearing black jeans that sat perfectly on his hips, and she was sure that if he turned around, would be perfectly hugging his arse as well. A simple washed-out grey fitted button down shirt finished the look, casual yet amazingly stylish.

"Seriously, you two? Do we have to hear this every time we get dressed up?" Blaise raised his voice mockingly, _"Oh, Hermione, you look amazing; Oh Draco, let's just stay here and get naked and fuck!"_

Hermione stepped closer to Draco and ran her hand seductively across his arse, and winked at Blaise, "You want to stay and watch, Blaise? I know you're into that kind of thing."

"It was one time Hermione," Blaise objected, "One time, almost _five years_ ago. How was I supposed to know what the hell you were doing with our boy? Are you ever going to let it go?"

"No," she laughed, "And I'm still waiting for my chance to return the favour."

"Any time, baby," Blaise winked at her, "Any. Time. You. Like."

"Excuse me!?" Graham choked out, "Do I get any say in this?"

Hermione dissolved into a fit of giggles, stepping away from Draco to hug Graham, "It's okay Graham, I love you both, but I don't ever want to see _that_."

"Pre-drinks drinks?" Blaise said with a nod to Draco's impressive bar, just as Ron and Pansy sauntered into the living room.

"Always have to be the centre of attention don't you Granger?" Pansy said, giving Hermione the once over. She looked stunning herself, dressed in an electric blue halter-neck dress, "Even I'd do you looking like that."

"Ron," Hermione groaned, "We tell you all the time; if you bring her, you have to control her."

"Yeah right! Like that's ever going to happen." Ron laughed, taking the drink Draco handed to him. They all looked surprised when Pansy said no when Draco offered a glass to her.

"Seriously Pans?" Draco was looking at her perplexed. Pansy never said no to whiskey.

"Seriously," she said with a sideways glance at Ron.

"No fucking way!" Hermione cried, startling them all. Pansy grinned at her, "You're not?"

"I am." Pansy said and Hermione engulfed her and kissed her cheek. She flung her arm around Ron, pulling him into the hug as well

"This is awesome!" Hermione said planting a kiss on Ron's cheek.

"You mind telling the rest of the group what's going on?" Blaise was watching the squealing girls with confusion.

"Pansy's pregnant," Ron told them, "Eight weeks."

A chorus of cheers from the guys went up. They all hugged Pansy and slapped Ron on the back, "Well done Weasley," Draco said, "I didn't think anyone could get the Wicked Witch pregnant."

"Arsehole." Pansy said, punching Draco's arm, before he pulled her into a bear hug and congratulating her.

Harry and Ginny arrived in the middle of the celebration, "Stealing my thunder, Parkinson?" Harry said with a smirk. Clearly he and Ginny already knew the news. Another round of cheers went up, and a spontaneous, yet terribly out of tune rendition of _Happy Birthday_ followed.

"Wait!" Draco exclaimed, "Did you say eight weeks?" Pansy nodded, and Draco frowned, "But that would mean...No, you didn't"

Pansy was already laughing, "Oh, we most certainly did."

Draco had a disdainful look on his face, "So, my birthday, when you were too drunk to apparate home and you stayed here?"

Ron clapped him on the shoulder, "Maybe we'll call it Draco, in your honour."

"What if it's a girl?" Ginny asked, laughing.

"Draco still works." Pansy replied.

"Okay," Draco said, "Are we just going to stand here and take the piss out of me, or are we going to go and drink ourselves into a stupor?"

* * *

They had chosen a muggle bar because it was easier to just enjoy themselves. In a place like this they were unknown, just as random as the rest of the patrons were. And the chances of them being spotted out were slim. Once they were inside, the pounding base of the music drew the girls and Graham straight to the dance floor; the guys watched as they pushed their way through the sea of bodies and disappear into the crowd

"Drinks?" Blaise asked and they all nodded.

Draco's eyes scanning the dance floor. Harry laughed and clapped him on the shoulder, "Are you ever going to get over this jealousy thing?"

"Shut up Potter," Draco growled following Blaise to the bar.

The other three laughed, "Look at all those guys looking at her," Ron taunted him, "I'm pretty sure that red dress has been mentally stripped off a hundred times by now."

Draco clenched his jaw, biting back his reply to tell Weasley to _fuck off_. He was well aware of all the male eyes on her. She stood out in the large crowd on the dance floor, dancing with Ginny, Graham and Pansy in such a carefree manner. Her gorgeous smile, her head thrown back, laughing at something Pansy had said.

He smirked at Ron, "What about Pansy? I'm surprised she hasn't actually stripped and shown herself off."

"I'm happy for her to do it," Ron said casually, not taking the bait, "See that ring on her finger? It means no one is looking at her. Maybe if you'd just grow some balls and do the same, you'd have nothing to worry about."

Ron and Pansy had been married for almost a year and half, and Ginny and Harry just over a year and they'd all been relentless in their taunts about when he was going to finally ask Hermione to marry him. He planned to, of course, but like he had told her, he would ask when she least expected it. And he didn't want to become a cliché, and ask her just because all their friends had gotten married.

"It's been almost five years mate, when exactly are those balls due to grow?" Blaise asked with a grin.

"The same time yours are due," Draco countered, "I don't see a ring on Graham's finger."

"That's because he has to ask me," Blaise informed him.

Draco laughed, "I always knew you were a girl!"

Blaise opened his mouth to respond, but nothing came out. He laughed, "Touché," he said, handing them their drinks - 25 year old _Macallan's_ – and they all tipped their glasses at him, saluting his choice. Blaise raised his own glass, "Happy birthday Potter, I hope Ginny puts out."

"Cheers, mate," Harry laughed, "And who says she didn't already?"

"That's my sister,' Ron pointed out.

Harry slapped him on the shoulder, "And you should be very proud."

Blaise snorted and covered his mouth, almost choking on the mouthful of whiskey he had just swallowed. He glanced towards the dance floor and let out a low whistle, "I didn't think the junior Weasel had it in her."

"Oh, she most definitely has," Harry said with a smirk.

Ron squeezed his eyes shut, "I'm not hearing this."

"Right," Blaise said, "Weasley is embarrassed, Draco is about to kill anyone who looks at Hermione and our significant others are enjoying themselves. I can only see one objective left; we men need to get shitfaced and celebrate another year that the Chosen One didn't die."

* * *

"Oh, shit," Pansy said, sucking in a breath. Ginny turned her head, following Pansy's gaze, and she grimaced. They were headed back to where the guys were sitting, and Pansy had noticed Draco at the bar.

Hermione frowned at her friends, before her eyes caught sight of what Pansy was staring at; Draco at the bar, a woman standing beside him, her hand on his forearm. Her spine stiffened and goose bumps broke out on her skin. _What the hell was this?_

"Hermione?" Ginny said cautiously, "I'm sure it's nothing."

Much to their astonishment, and her own, Hermione simply smiled and tilted her head to the side, "Well, this is interesting."

"Do you want me to go over there and slap her?" Pansy said sneering at the woman beside him.

Hermione shook her head, "It's fine, let's just see what he does."

Graham almost slammed into Ginny when they had suddenly stopped walking, "What's going-...Whoa!"

"Yeah," Ginny agreed still eyeing Hermione, "But apparently we're waiting to see what he does."

"Really?" Graham looked surprised, "This'll be interesting."

"Yeah, I'm not so sure," Pansy said glancing at Hermione. Her eyes were narrowed, her jaw clenched. They'd seen Draco jealous, but the sneer on Hermione's face was something new. She evidently wasn't' happy about this, but was holding her temper in check

They all watched as Draco conversed with the woman, waiting for the bartender to finish preparing his drink order, while the woman openly flirted with him. She smiled and flicked her hair back over her shoulder, her hand touching his arm.

"Hi," she said, "I'm Erin."

Draco smiled back, and simply said, "Draco."

"Oh, wow," she laughed, "Your parents must have really hated you!"

Draco's eyebrows raised, and the infamous Malfoy sneer crossed his face, "Excuse me?"

She laughed, a high, flirty sound that had Draco wincing, "Well, that's not the most common name now is it?"

Draco shifted his feet, moving slightly away from her, but she followed his movements, "Why would I want to have anything that's common?" He sneered.

Her smile grew wider, completely oblivious to the vitriol being aimed at her, "I've been watching you all night, Draco. You and your friends have expensive tastes in whisky," she glanced down at his hand on the bar, "I wouldn't mind three fingers myself."

Draco almost choked at the innuendo. He blinked, as she pressed closer to him, her shoulder touching his. Draco flinched when the woman leaned closer. He stepped back from her, "You should go back to your friends, I'm really not interested."

But she didn't back off, "Oh, that's only because you don't know me. I'm actually _very_ interesting."

"I'm not interested because I have a girlfriend." He told her, but she only laughed.

"Nice story," she said, "I don't see her anywhere."

Draco looked over his shoulder, his eyes landing on Hermione, his eyes going wide at the unreadable expression on her face. He cast her a look that said _Help me._

She took pity on him and crossed to the bar, walking with an exaggerated swing to her hips, "Hi," She said with a devilish grin, and stepped between Draco and the woman.

She felt a slight shove at her shoulder followed by a high pitched yelp of "Hey!" Hermione turned to face the woman, "What the hell?" she demanded.

Hermione shot her a derisive look and arched an eyebrow at her, then shrugged, "I saw him across the room, and I just had to have him."

The woman shook her head in disbelief, "Um, well, I saw him first. So you need to leave."

Hermione turned back to Draco and pressed herself against him, "Is that true?" she asked, sliding a finger across his jaw, "Did she _really_ see you first?"

Draco bit his lip, trying not to laugh. He had not expected this from Hermione, this was something he would have done - marked his territory - but he was thoroughly enjoying the display. He looked up at his pursuer, "Well, she might have," he drawled, "But you _are_ my girlfriend, so you get dibs."

The woman's eyes went wide, "Girlfriend?" she spluttered, "You weren't lying?"

Draco nodded his head, "No I wasn't. Like I told you, I have a girlfriend. This is Hermione." Hermione turned in his arms, and smiled at the woman, and Draco made a show of kissing her neck. He slipped his arm around her waist, pulling her to him, "Sorry Erin."

"You have amazing taste in men though," Hermione told her, "Kudos on your choice."

Erin's face flushed red, "I'm so sorry...I didn't mean to...I just...I'm sorry." she stammered before turning and fleeing.

Hermione turned to face him, "What the hell? I can't even leave you alone for twenty minutes and you've got women hanging off you?"

"What!?" Draco exclaimed, "I did nothing, I was just standing here and she approached me! Fuck Hermione, as if I'd do anything."

"Hey," she said softly, pressing her hand to his chest, taken aback by his outburst, "Calm down. I was only joking."

"Sorry," he said, "It's just that's it's usually me that gets jealous. Nice to see that it's you for a change."

Hermione stuck her nose in the air, "I was _not_ jealous."

Draco leaned in and kissed her, "Oh, I know jealous, and my dear, you so were."

* * *

Draco had grown strangely quiet as the evening wore on. They had all teased him mercilessly over being hit on at the bar, and he had taken it good naturedly, but Hermione had noticed him slowly drawing into himself, appearing deep in thought and distracted.

She shook her head and focused on her friends, she would ask him about it when they arrived back home. But she was taken by surprise when they finally left at one am. They apparated into their bedroom and Draco slammed her against the wall, his mouth descending on her throat, his hands pinning her arms above her head.

Hermione gasped at the sensation, at the urgency with which his mouth was exploring her. His mouth crashed against hers, forcing his tongue between her lips. She moaned, enjoying the roughness, the warmth of his mouth. He pulled back, nipping at her shoulder, her jaw, his teeth grazing her ear lobe.

"You're mine," he growled, his tone almost feral, angry, "Mine, you hear that?"

"Draco?" Hermione said in a breathless voice, but he ignored her. She could feel the anguish in him and she knew his mind was elsewhere. She tried to pull her arms free but he held them tight and continued to attack her neck and shoulder.

Draco had an overwhelming sense of urgency to feel her, he needed to show her how much he loved her, how much she meant to him. He pushed his hips against hers, roughly forcing her back into the wall. His teeth bit into the sensitive skin of her shoulder.

"Draco, stop!" They'd had angry sex before, they'd had rough sex, but this was something different. This was not angry, this was desperate, thoughtless. Her heart was racing, she didn't want to use magic on him, but if he didn't let up, he would find himself flying across the room. Hermione's voice rose and she yelled, "Draco! Let me go!"

Draco's hands dropped from hers, but his mouth remained on her. She slammed her hands hard against his chest and forced him back, the sensation of his mouth on her disappearing instantly as he stumbled backwards. She could barely breathe. She was staring at him, her hand massaging the wrist he had gripped, a mixture of disbelief and confusion on her face, "Draco, what-"

He was breathing hard. His eyes were glazed over, a distant, lost look in them. He felt a raging anger rise within him and before he could stop himself, he punched the wall behind him, crying out an agonised howl. He had hurt her, frightened her, he could see it in her eyes. This was the woman he loved, and he had treated her with utter disrespect, like a piece of meat. He looked down at his hand, his knuckles raw and bleeding; it was much less than what he deserved.

"Draco, talk to me, please," Hermione said taking his bloodied hand, "This is not you. What's going on?"

Guilt washed over him and he couldn't look at her. Embarrassed and ashamed of himself, he shook his head and turned on his heel, headed through the walk-in wardrobe to the bathroom, slamming the door.

He looked at his reflection in the mirror. How could he have done that? How could he have hurt her, frightened her? He held his hand beneath the running water, watching as the blood mixed with the water and swirled down the drain. He was disgusted with himself, taking out his anger - anger at himself - on her. It wasn't her fault, it was all him; his pathetic, jealous self, rearing its ugly head again.

Hermione winced at the sound of the slamming door. She pressed her head back against the wall and waited a full minute before she moved, steadying her breath, forcing herself to calm down. Something had gotten into his head, forcing sullen, angry Draco to appear again. She was at a loss as to what it was, her mind replaying the night and unable to come up with even a minor insult that would have set him off.

She stepped into the dressing room, removing her heels and placing them in their rightful place. She was deliberately taking her time, allowing him the time he needed to calm down. She reached behind her back and unzipped her dress, letting it fall to the floor. She pulled on a pair of sleep shorts and a matching camisole and stepped towards the closed bathroom door.

She took a deep breath and pushed the door open slowly, finding Draco with his palms pressed onto the counter, his head lowered, eyes closed. She noticed his hand was wrapped in a towel, and she winced. _What the hell was going on in his head?_ She pressed her hand gently to his back, feeling him flinch.

"Where did you go?" Hermione asked him in a whisper.

"Nowhere, sorry," he murmured. His chest felt heavy, his breathing had become constricted. He grimaced at her touch, disgusted with himself.

"Draco, that wasn't _nowhere_ , talk to me, tell me what's going on."

He turned to face her, "Are you okay? Did I hurt you?"

She shook her head, "No, I'm fine," she took his wrapped hand in hers, whispering a healing spell and he felt the tingle of his skin repairing, "But you're not. What happened?"

"Nothing," he said, "Nothing...I'm sorry."

"Everything was fine," she wracked her brain trying to remember if she spoke to another man, if that's what set him off. She was sure she didn't, "Draco, I don't understand what-"

"I thought about fucking her! That girl at the bar, I thought about it!" Draco yelled yanking his hand from hers, he didn't deserve her touching him, "The thought actually went through my head, the thought of fucking another woman. Just for a second, I actually wondered what it would be like to be with someone else." His hands went to his hips and he stared at the floor, "What does that say about me? About us?"

"Oh," Hermione sat on the edge of the tub. One-thirty in the morning in the bathroom was not when she envisaged having this conversation with him. She had always assumed it would come up, but she was not completely prepared for it right now. "Is that what you want?" Her voice was surprisingly calm.

Draco looked up at her, "What?"

"Is that what you want?" She repeated, "Do you want to take a break from all this, from us?"

"No, that's not-"

"Draco, if we're going to be together, if we're going to be _us_ , I don't want you to ever think _what if_ , or _I should have_. I don't want you to have any lingering doubts about being with me and don't want you to have any regrets, or think that you may have missed out on something. If you want to take a break from this, or even end it, you need to tell me now, not in five years, or ten years, when you decide that you _did_ miss out." Hermione's heart was racing, belying the calmness in her voice. If he _did_ want to end this, her currently racing heart would break in two.

He stared at her, not sure how to respond. He thought she would have flown into a rage and told him to get out. It's exactly what he would have done had the roles been reversed. But she was giving him options, a choice. An out, if he wanted.

"A break?" He finally said.

"If that's what you want." Her fingers gripped the side of the tub, her knuckles turning white and her heart felt like it was about to slam through her chest. _Was he actually considering this?_

"And you'd be okay with that?"

"No," the anger was rising in her and she had to force the words out, "I would hate it, but if it's what you want, I'd have to deal with it."

"So, what are you saying? If we just took a year off you'd be perfectly fine with it. No questions asked."

"No, you fucking idiot!" the calmness was gone, replaced with a white hot anger at the fact that he was even considering this, "I would fucking hate it. I pretended indifference to that...fucking slag...talking to you, but I hated it. I wanted to slap her for simply talking to you. And when she touched you? Fuck!" she took a breath, forcing her tears back, "And even if we agreed to take a break, I'm not sure I would take you back, could take you back," she swallowed the lump that was threatening to burst from her throat, "Are you ever going to get over that I've been with other guys? Believe me, if I could take it back, I would. I wish I'd not been with anyone else. I wish it had only ever been you. I wish it with my whole heart." The tears that were threatening finally fell. She tried to storm past him but he grabbed her wrist, stopping her.

"Take your hand off me," she said icily, and he immediately dropped her arm from his grasp, "You know what? You go ahead, go out and spend the next year fucking every woman you can, because clearly you've already made your choice."

"Hermione, that's not-" Draco began, but Hermione cut him off.

She held up her hand, and shook her head. She had a look of complete pain and distress on her face. She opened her mouth to say something, but all that came out was a choked sob. Her tears were streaming down her face and it was the last sight he had of her before she disapperated away.

Draco gripped his hair in his hands and let out a frustrated howl, the sound echoing of the tiled bathroom walls. _Fuck!_ He thought _, Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!_

What the hell had he just done? He'd promised himself, and her, that he would not let his jealousy get the better of him again. And this time it had nothing to do with her. It was all him. For a split second he'd wondered. Wondered what it would be like with someone else. Wondered at the feel of another body. Would it be the same? Would the sounds of someone else's breaths and groans have the same effect on him? It was only for a second, but he instantly knew he didn't want it. He only wanted Hermione. And at the same time he hated himself for thinking it. It felt like he had betrayed her. And he was disgusted with himself for taking out his own frustrations on her.

And then panic hit him. Where the hell would she go at this hour? If he called around, or even disapparated, he'd have an enormous amount of explaining to do, and at this hour, he didn't think he was capable of dealing with their friends' rants. He picked up his phone and called her, the familiar chimes of her phone ringing from her discarded purse on the floor.

 _Of course she didn't take it, you idiot!_ he cursed himself, _And she wouldn't answer it anyway._

He had all but attacked her and she still managed to be patient and calm, and tried to make him feel like he'd done nothing wrong. He looked down at his hand, no trace of his fist hitting the wall existed, thanks to Hermione. He repeated his own question; _what the hell had he done?_

* * *

Hermione had apparated into the flat that Draco had bought for his mother - the Malfoy fortune still being partially hers – and she collapsed onto the couch, hoping Narcissa wouldn't hex her when she found her there.

In the year that had passed since their first meeting, the two had become firm friends, and it was as much a surprise to Hermione as it was to everyone else. They had more in common than either had expected; books, museums, old libraries, and Narcissa's insatiable thirst for knowledge was probably the biggest surprise of all. She was as curious about everything around her as much as Hermione was.

They had decided to meet weekly, both telling themselves that this was for Draco, to make things easier for him. And it was thanks to a muggle book that had really brought them together. Hermione had been reading Jane Austen's _Emma_ when she had arrived early for one of their weekly catch ups. Narcissa had gasped in surprise, her excitement evident as she explained that it was one of her favourites, that while everyone went for _Pride and Prejudice_ , she loved this one more than anything. Hermione had agreed. And it was through Jane Austen, they found themselves enjoying each others' company. The conversation becoming easier, chatting about the world around them, their favourite books and even wandering around the London's museums together. Draco had, of course, been smug. Telling her that he knew they'd get along.

It wasn't until she shivered that she realised she had disapparated wearing only her sleep shorts and a singlet. _Fuck_ she thought; this was going to be awkward enough without her being half naked. She transfigured a large pillow into a blanket and threw it over herself, and waited for sleep to come. But her head was swirling, the possibility of she and Draco being over was tearing at her heart.

She wasn't sure what she had been thinking when she disapparated, she just wanted to be as far away from him as possible. Narcissa's flat may not have been the best place to hide, it seemed more of a side step than actual fleeing, when she thought rationally about it. She knew that running and hiding was childish an immature, but she also knew it would be driving Draco insane not knowing where she was, and she was sure that Narcissa's was the last place he'd look. She guessed subconsciously that she knew that and it was the reason she was here.

She had never done this before. Never gotten so angry, so upset that she thought her only option was to run. But the irrational side of her brain had taken over and brought her here. She curled her knees to her chest and stared into the darkness. Had their fight ruined everything? Would he actually take her up on her suggestion of a break? A wave of nausea rolled through her at the thought. If he did decide that he did need to _sow his oats,_ as it were, she was sure that would be it. She wouldn't be able to take him back, and she knew that she was not being entirely fair, considering her history. But that's what it was, history. It had happened in her past, and she didn't see anyone else but Draco in her future.

In her head she was ranting at him, silently shouting all the things she should have told him instead of running away. She should have told him that she didn't want him to leave, that she was with him and would always be with him. She should have told him that she didn't care that he thought about being with someone else, because that's all it was, a thought.

But her Gryffindor courage had failed her and she had taken the coward's way out, and her internal rant turned onto herself; telling herself how selfish she was. That she wasn't sure she had the right to be so angry about the whole thing. He hadn't actually said that he wanted to end it, or even take a break, and she certainly hadn't given him the opportunity to explain what he wanted.

A heavy weight settled in her chest, a tight knot of pain and despair, and it felt as though it would suffocate her. Her eyes welled up again and a small sob escaped her. This couldn't possibly be how it ended. She loved him far too much for it to be over.

Another sob shuddered her body. She closed her eyes. Surely things would look better in the morning.


	11. Chapter 11

Hermione blinked awake, her eyes adjusting to the light and it took a few seconds for her to recognise her surroundings. The previous night came crashing down on her, and she closed her eyes again. She was wrong, it didn't look better this morning. She sat up, not sure if she should leave, not sure if Narcissa had already seen her. And if she had seen her, sneaking out wasn't an option. And Hermione knew that staying would mean an explanation. She put her head in her hands and groaned quietly; no, nothing looked better this morning.

She heard a hushed voice conversing with someone in the next room.

"No!" Narcissa's voice was demanding, "You stay right where you are. You are not to come here... Draco Lucius Malfoy! You will do as you are asked...I understand you're worried, but I will talk to her...no buts, you stay where you are. Do not make me ban you from my house...I don't know, she's still sleeping...yes, as soon as she wakes up...yes, I will talk to you later."

"Hi," Hermione said sheepishly when Narcissa entered the living room, "Sorry that I'm here, I just..." Hermione pulled the blanket tightly around her, she didn't even know what to tell her. She had clearly been talking with Draco (Narcissa had embraced muggle technology and her love for mobile phones was second only to her son), and she had no idea what his version of events was. "I shouldn't have come here I've put you in the middle of this, sorry...I'll go."

"Hermione, darling, you know that you are welcome here," Narcissa sat beside her and took her hand, "And if you needed to use my couch as a place of refuge, I'm more than happy for you to do so."

"Thank you," she said quietly.

"Let me make you some tea," Narcissa said with a smile, "And then we can talk."

A few minutes later she returned from the kitchen, two steaming cups in her hands. Hermione took the one that was handed to her, gripping it in her cold hands, warming them. She was sure that it wasn't proper etiquette, but etiquette was out the window, considering she was sitting on Narcissa's couch, barely dressed covered only by a transfigured blanket.

"Imagine my surprise when I woke up and discovered a body on my couch this morning." Narcissa said, her voice airy, trying to keep things light.

"Sorry," Hermione said again, "I just came here without even thinking. You spoke to Draco?"

"Don't apologise," Narcissa told her, "Like I said, you're welcome here. And yes, I spoke with my son. I was more than a bit shocked to find you here, so I called him to ask why on earth you would be on my couch first thing on Saturday morning. He has called back several times, he's very worried about you."

"So he told you what happened?" Hermione sipped her tea, the warmth doing nothing to dislodge the heaviness still residing in her chest.

"He told me that you had somewhat of a disagreement and that you left."

Hermione frowned, "That's it? That's all he told you."

Narcissa smiled, "No, but it doesn't matter what he told me. I want to know _your_ reason for being on my couch."

Hermione pursed her lips, not sure where to begin. She glanced at Narcissa, hesitant to say much of anything to her. She had no idea _what_ to say; exactly how much she should tell her. This was Draco's mother, and if it came down to choosing sides – which she hoped it wouldn't - Hermione was sure that she would side with her son. She guessed, in that case, she had nothing to lose.

"How much has Draco told you about us?" Hermione figured she may as well start at the beginning.

Narcissa frowned, as if she wasn't sure what that had to do with anything that Draco may have told her, "I'm not sure what you mean, but he has only told me how much he loves you, and that you've been together since your final year at Hogwarts."

Hermione gave her a small smile and nodded, "We have. But there's a whole lot more to it than that." She wasn't sure what Draco would think about what she was about to divulge to his mother. But for her to completely understand what had happened, why she was on her couch, she needed to hear the entire story. She took a deep breath _, here goes nothing_ , she thought, "Draco and I have been together since Hogwarts, and during that time we were...well...together." Her face flushed and her eyes dropped to the floor.

Narcissa kept her face straight, a little shocked that Hermione was telling her this, but she was not naive enough to believe that they had not been sleeping together for some time now, "One would assume," she said, "Raging teenage hormones, and all."

Hermione looked up at her, and couldn't help but smile at the smirk on Narcissa face, "Well, um, I was Draco's first. But Draco wasn't mine."

"O-kay," Narcissa said slowly, "And how does that affect what happened last night?"

"There have been some jealousy issues," Hermione explained, "Mostly Draco, but I'm by no means completely blame free. The biggest thing it that he can't seem to get past the fact that that he's not my one and only, when I'm his. And it has caused some angst between us. It has been quite some time since there have been any problems with it, but last night a girl approached him at the bar and I'll be honest, I did nothing because I wanted to see how he would react. Naturally he turned her down, however, the thought got in his head of what it would be like to be with someone else.

"And when we got home, he took his frustrations out on me," Narcissa's eyes narrowed, but Hermione reassured her, "He didn't hurt me, I wouldn't have let him, and he stopped before it went too far. Then he blamed himself and got angry, and he hates himself for it. I asked him if he wanted to take a break, or even end it. But I kind of got mad and left before he could really talk to me. And that's how I ended up on your couch," Hermione said.

"I just don't know what happened, why I got so mad at him. He really did nothing wrong. I truly hated that he might have considered leaving. I don't want to be with anyone else. I love him with all my heart. And the thought of not being with him..." she closed her eyes, "...I don't even want to think about it."

Narcissa placed her cup on the coffee table, and looked at Hermione. She took a deep breath, processing what Hermione had just told her.

"You've been more open and honest with me than I ever thought you would be, and I'm not sure if I needed every little detail," she quirked an eyebrow at Hermione, "But thank you, it has made things much more clear." She leaned towards Hermione and took her hand, "I think you both may have been at fault, his behaviour towards you was clearly deplorable, he should have known better than to take his frustrations out on you, but running away and not giving him the chance to explain, that definitely wasn't fair." Narcissa said, "You said that he told you he _thought_ about being with someone else?" Hermione nodded, "And you gave him an option, but didn't allow him the time to think about what you were saying? You just instantly though he wanted to leave you and you walked out?"

Hermione nodded, but remained silent, realising where this was going.

"My son, for all his faults, loves you more than anything, and I know that because I've seen the way he is with you. Not how he looks at you, but how he _is_." Hermione frowned, not understanding, "He protects you without you even knowing it; he makes sure you're his first priority, because he knows that you never put yourself first. I have never before seen him like he is when he's with you. The selfish, sullen boy is gone. You've brought peace and clarity to his life, when just a few years ago, he wasn't sure how long his life would actually be. His tendency to get jealous has been his biggest failing since he was small. He lived under Lucius's scrutiny all his life, and striving to please his father at any cost was all that mattered to him. So anyone who took his fathers' attention away, caused great stress for him, and his jealous streak would make him behave, and treat those people, terribly. And I think he feels the same way with you. He knows that you love him, and that you're not going anywhere, but any attention that you are given by another man, regardless of how innocent, will instinctively have him on edge.

"Hermione, I know that you were angry, but running from him wasn't the answer. You need to talk to him, and you need to make him talk to you. You can't expect things to work between the two of you if you don't talk to each other. And not only did you need to talk, you needed to listen to him, but you just didn't give him chance." She gave Hermione a knowing look, "And I don't think it's just Draco that gets jealous. Seeing him talking to someone else was something new for you, and I don't think you liked it."

Hermione shook her head, "No, I didn't."

"How you felt, that's how it is for him, but its worse because he knows that there have been others in your life. He knows that those others may have felt the same way he feels about you, and that's hard for him to come to terms with because he's never had the chance to know that with anyone else. And he's never going to, because he simply adores you and I know that there's no one else he wants to be with. And I also know that right now he will be at home kicking himself, and trying to figure out how he can fix this, when in reality he's done nothing wrong."

"He really hasn't, has he?" Hermione said quietly and Narcissa shook her head, "I think I screwed up big time."

"Darling, listen to me. There are so many things in his life he has done wrong, so many bad choices, but you are definitely not one of them. I may not have approved of you at first, but you have helped him become someone who I am even more proud of and for that alone you are more than I could have ever hoped for him. He has chosen you because he saw in you someone who he needed and would keep him safe, someone who simply needed the same thing from him. And you are most definitely that someone, so can you imagine what is was like for him to have you assume he wanted to leave you and then watch you walk out on him?"

Hermione felt the tears well in her eyes. Regardless of the fact that over the last year the two had become firm friends with Narcissa becoming completely accepting of her, Narcissa's spoken approval of her was still a shock. And the fact that Narcissa had so calmly made her see her own mistake made Hermione respect her even more. She could have flown into a rage and kicked her off her couch and told her in no uncertain terms to leave, but instead she listened and made no judgement of her.

Hermione put her head in her hands, "What have I done?" she whispered.

Narcissa ran a soothing hand over her back, "You got jealous and overreacted, but this isn't the end. I know it's not. He loves you far too much for that. Now, you must be starving; time for brunch and then you can go and talk to him and work this out."

"Brunch? How late is it?"

"Almost eleven," Narcissa told her, "I didn't want to wake you." Hermione was surprised, but then it was probably close to three-am before she had finally nodded off.

"Um," Hermione hummed looking down at herself, "I'm not sure if brunch is an option, I'm only wearing pyjama's."

Narcissa laughed, "Darling, we're not going anywhere, Deeny will cook for us."

Hermione looked around, realising Narcissa's house elf had not popped up. She usually clung to Hermione anytime she visited, the tiny creature was completely besotted with her, "Where..?"

"Oh, I insisted that she leave you be, and let you sleep, but I know she's going crazy not being allowed to see you."

Hermione laughed, "Well, I'd love to see her." And at her words, the elf appeared, dressed in a bright yellow tutu and wearing an orange woollen hat with ear holes cut out. She bowed so deeply at _Miss Hermione,_ that the top of her head scraped the floor.

Hermione laughed and squeezed Narcissa's hand, "Thank you Narcissa. Thank you for not judging me and thank you for making me see things much more clearly."

"Oh, I'd never judge you darling," Narcissa winked at her, "I was young once."

Hermione laughed and flicked her wrist, turning the blanket back to its original pillow form, and then transfigured her singlet into a t-shirt, feeling a little less exposed.

"Wandless Magic?" Narcissa looked impressed, and Hermione nodded, "My son is right, you truly you are wonderful."

* * *

"Hey," a quiet voice said from behind him.

Draco was pacing the living room, staring at his phone, waiting for his mother to call him back. He spun around to see Hermione standing in the doorway, "Hermione?" Draco rushed to her, cupping her face, "Are you okay?"

Hermione nodded. He was pale and drawn, dark lines circled his eyes, and she knew he'd not slept a wink. His usually alive eyes were faded, heavy with anguish, and the concern in his voice and the gentle touch of his hands brought tears flooding to her eyes. This was her fault, she'd done this to him, and yet, he was worried about her.

He wrapped his arms securely around her, while her tears flowed freely from her. He was begging her to stay with him, to not walk out and leave him. He placed soothing kisses on the top of her head, apologising repeatedly and began rambling; he couldn't believe that he had acted like he had. He loved her with his heart and soul, and he had betrayed her trust, and he was so sorry. He wasn't interested in anyone else. He couldn't stand the thought of not being with her. There would be no regrets, she was his only choice, and he wanted only her.

"I'm sorry," he said one more time.

"Please, don't," she said, stepping out of his embrace.

Draco looked at her perplexed. He wasn't sure what was happening, "I don't understand. Why-"

"Draco, I was out of line and I should never have left. I blindsided you and didn't give you the chance to talk. I was selfish and inconsiderate. I'm so sorry."

"What are you talking about?" Draco searched her eyes trying to figure out her meaning, "I attacked you, and _you're_ apologising?"

"But you didn't attack me, not really. Well, no worse than I've done to you," she gave him a small smile, "Draco, when I asked if you wanted a break, and you didn't answer right away, I jumped to conclusions. I just thought..." Hermione shook her head, "I thought that you wanted out. That you wanted more, with someone else."

"Hermione, no," Draco sounded alarmed, causing Hermione's chest to constrict. She had truly hurt him, and worst of all, he was blaming himself, "It was just a thought. And I hate myself for it. I don't want anyone else."

"I know, and I should have let you explain that. And I know that simply thinking about being with someone else doesn't mean you want to be. I overreacted and I assumed the worst."

Draco frowned, "Have I ever given you a reason to assume the worst?"

"Never," Hermione heard in her own voice the disappointment she felt in herself.

Draco gripped her shoulders, "Everything we've done together, and everything we've been through," He huffed out a breath, "Do you know what the easiest thing was?" Hermione shook her head, "Falling in love with you. It was easy. Absolutely fucking easy. It might sound like a cliché, but isn't it supposed to be that way?"

Hermione swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat, and nodded. He was right. So completely right. Everything that had happened between them, all the jealousy, all the fights, all the rumours, it was all irrelevant, just bumps in the road. Simply being with him _was_ the easy part.

"So why _did_ you assume the worst?" He asked.

"Because, stupidly, in my head you had already made up your mind and it scared me. I pictured you and that girl together and I couldn't stand the thought of you with someone else," Hermione's cheeks reddened, "And I know that's not fair considering, well, myself. But I like that you're just mine, and I know that's selfish, but I do."

Draco took her in, she was usually confident and bright, but right now she looked completely dispirited. He stepped closer to her and pulled her to him, "I _am_ yours, you know that, right?"

"I do," she sighed, relaxing against him, loving the feel of his arms around her, "Sorry I flipped out."

"You were jealous, huh?" Draco said the hint of a smile on his lips.

"I was," Hermione admitted freely, "And I'm sorry that I didn't fully understand how you felt all those times with me." She wrapped her arms around his neck and she pressed her face into his shoulder, "Are we okay?"

Draco kissed the top of her head, "We're okay." He led her to the sofa, pulling her down to sit with him, "Jealousy suits you."

"It fits both of us well," she replied, taking his hand and holding it between them. He watched as her thumb lightly rubbed over his.

"I promise I will never hurt you ever again." He told her.

"And I promise I won't run just because things aren't going my way," she smiled at him.

"I'm glad you're home." He whispered.

"Me too," Hermione said, cradling her head against his shoulder. She sighed at the familiarity of it. He pressed his cheek to the top of her head as she closed her eyes, sighing, her body relaxing against his, her hand reaching up to rest over his heart, feeling the steady thumping beat.

"Can we just stay like this?" she murmured quietly.

"For as long as you like." Draco whispered and closed his eyes.

* * *

The amber glow of the early morning sunlight spilled into the bedroom the next morning, the warm beams of light hitting their bodies where they were nested in their own world of large fluffy pillows and a down comforter. They'd fallen asleep wrapped together, laying as close to one another as possible, arms wrapped tightly around each other, each fearful that the other would be lost. But Hermione had shifted during the night, and her restless sleep had left her sprawled across one side of the bed, laying almost sideways, her feet resting across Draco's hip.

Hermione's eyes flickered open. She curved her back in a cat stretch and she let out a loud yawn.

"Rough night, huh?" Draco's voice rumbled, and he rubbed at her foot.

Hermione blinked several times, clearing her sleep filled eyes. She lifted her head, and laughed when she saw how she was laying, "I guess so," She adjusted her position, moving to lay beside him, kissing his cheek.

Draco chuckled beside her, "You're a mess this morning."

"A beautiful mess I would hope."

"No. Not even close," he said with a grin, "It looks like a family of birds slept in your hair."

"Wow, thank you so much." She slapped his chest, "I mean really, I'm blushing."

Draco laughed, pressing a hand to the base of her spine, pulling her even closer, "I didn't say I didn't love this mess, I simply said you're a mess."

She pushed back from him, rolling towards the side of the bed, "Hey," he said, looking alarmed, "I was joking."

She laughed, squeezing his foot as she walked around the foot of the bed, "I know you were, but my bladder is insisting I leave you for about a minute and a half. I'll be right back."

Draco watched her as she left the room; even in her scruffy morning state she was stunning. She was all curves and lean muscle, her movements lithe and graceful. An aura of confidence surrounded her. He felt the familiar stirring low in his belly, but shoved it away. He wasn't sure she'd be up for that, considering the events of the wee hours of the previous morning.

He dropped his head back onto the pillow and pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes, sighing contentedly. He smiled to himself, _they were both idiots._ Arguing was fine, jealousy was fine, but him punching a wall, and her running away? No, that was not fine, it was childish. He huffed out a laugh and shook his head; yes, they were both indeed idiots.

He felt her squeeze his foot again when she returned, "What are you thinking?"

"That we're both idiots," He mumbled. He took his hands away from his face and lifted his head to look at her and almost laughed, "Did you brush your hair?"

She poked her tongue out at him as she crawled back under the covers, "I can't have you looking better than me, can I?" She lay her head on the pillow, flicking her now under control hair over her shoulder, "Why are we idiots?"

"All the crap we've been through, and we still act like children," he mused, "It might be time to grow up."

She kissed his cheek, "I think you're right."

He rolled to his side and placed both his hands beneath his cheek, mirroring her pose, "My mother's couch?"

Hermione laughed, "I know, who would have thought?"

"She was completely shocked when she found you there," he told her, "And then of course she called me and asked me what the hell had happened to make you feel that you had to sleep on her couch."

"Yeah, I wasn't really thinking when I left. I kind of just went there." She shrugged, "She's pretty amazing, your mother. I have no idea why I was so terrified of her."

"I told you you'd love her," He said smugly.

"Don't be so smug," Hermione bit her lip nervously, "She may have heard some things that she never thought she would."

Draco raised an eyebrow, slightly concerned as to what the two had talked about, "What exactly did you tell her?"

Hermione twisted her face into an unsure grimace, "Um, I just told her about us, how we got together..."

"What!" Draco's eyes went wide, "You did not!"

Hermione nodded and grinned, "I didn't give her _all_ the details, just the basics, and she took it pretty well."

"So she knows that you were..." he shook his head in disbelief.

"Your first? Your one and only?" She looked at him with wide, innocent eyes as she teased him, "She does, and you have nothing to be embarrassed about, she's very proud of you."

"Can I ask why you felt you should tell her that?" Draco asked.

Hermione shrugged, "I really don't know. I guess I just thought it would help her understand why I was there. I didn't think that telling her that _we just had a fight_ would really float with her, she would have seen straight through it. A simple fight wouldn't land me on her couch. I think she was a bit shocked that I told her, but she understood why I did."

Draco huffed out a breath, "Wow, I don't think I'll be able to look my mother in the eye ever again."

"Oh, come on, it's not that bad," Hermione told him.

"Not that bad!" Draco laughed, "My mother knowing about my sex life is not that bad?"

"Nope," Hermione said, "Because I'm absolutely sure that she will never ever mention it to you."

"I can't believe you told her!" he was still laughing, "When I said that two of you would become friends, I never thought you would be _that_ good of friends!"

"You're not mad?" Hermione asked.

"No," he said, "There's no point. She knows and there's nothing I can do about it."

"That's very grown up and adult of you," Hermione said.

"Ah, yes, the new phase in our lives; grown up and adult," he agreed.

"An excellent plan," Hermione said, brushing her hand across his cheek.

He took her hand and kissed her palm and an easy silence settled between them. She took in his features; his storm-grey eyes were what she loved most. She always had. Even, all those years ago, when she thought he hated her, she was always drawn to his eyes. They gave away everything. He carried his emotions there; anger, joy, sadness, all of it. He had tried to mask his emotions from an early age, but his eyes gave it all away. Narcissa was right. As much as he had changed, some of the old Draco was still in there. It wasn't a bad thing, it was just who he was. And she now realised she shouldn't try to change that.

She traced her finger tip across the arch of his brow, circling his eye and following his cheekbone, "Your eyes are beautiful."

"Beautiful, huh?" he asked as her hands began to wander. Across his chest and stomach, curving around his hip and coming to rest at the small of his back.

"Beautiful," she whispered, her fingers tracing tiny circles on his back, "They tell me everything I need to know about you. Your anger and your hurt; when you're upset, when you're happy. How much you love me." She leaned in and kissed him, claiming his mouth with much more heat than he expected. Her tongue slipped through his lips, parting them to dip inside the warmth of his mouth. Draco met her tongue with his, tasting her, wanting to taste every inch of her skin. She whispered against his mouth, and he suddenly felt her naked body against his.

He pulled back and smirked at her, "Maybe you should teach me this wandless magic. Then I can have you naked any time I want."

Hermione arched an eyebrow at him, "Do you think maybe that's the reason I _haven't_ taught you?"

Draco laughed and resumed kissing her. After several minutes of exploring each other's mouths, he broke them apart, pushing up on his elbow. He caressed her cheek, smiling at her before dipping down to press his lips over her heart, kissing her as he told her, "You're all I ever need... All I want...All I love. "

"Draco," she breathed, and then all thoughts were lost as he took a nipple into his mouth and sucked. Hermione moaned, arching beneath him, digging her fingers into his back. He started to move lower, kissing the valley between her breasts, along her ribs, her navel. But Hermione stopped him, cupping his jaw, forcing his face up. "No," she murmured, "You. Just you."

Draco moved slowly, crawling up to cover her, pressing his weight down on her and leaning on his forearms holding himself slightly above her so he could devour her mouth. He rocked his hips gently against her, his cock slipping between her folds, sliding deliciously across her sensitive clit.

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and hooked her legs over his hips, drawing him even closer. He stilled his hips, pressing himself to her entrance, locking his eyes to hers. She brushed her hand across his cheek, waiting for him to enter her and when he surged forward, he did so slowly, stretching her, filling her, causing her eyes to shut and her breath to hitch.

Hermione felt him press his forehead to hers; his breath was everywhere, covering her, and she breathed him in. She loved him like this. Loved when he took his time. Loved the slow, torturous way he made love to her. They way he could make her melt, the way he's focus solely on her wiping all coherent thoughts from her mind.

She opened her eyes and found him staring down at her, "I love you Draco. I love you so much it hurts."

He leaned down and kissed his way along her neck, taking the lobe of her ear into his mouth, "And I love you, my beautiful, sweet girl."

Hermione moaned as he began to roll his hips, moving inside her. Slow, deep thrusts that were both strong and gentle at the same time. She shifted her hips beneath him, meeting his thrusts, their bodies moving together in a slow rhythm as the world fell away, leaving only them.

He dropped his mouth to her neck, kissing and biting gently at the skin on her throat, feeling her fingers dig into his back as she hissed out a breath. He picked up his pace slightly, his pelvis connecting with her clit as he built the friction inside her.

"Draco," Hermione moaned, "More."

"More?" Draco smirked down at her, still thrusting slowly into her, "More how?"

She slid her hands down his back, digging her fingers into his arse, "Harder."

Draco shifted above her, raising himself onto his hands, digging his knees into the mattress and began thrusting harder into her. He reached down between them working her clit, dragging his fingers across it in a rhythm that matched his thrusts.

Hermione panted as he drove into her, "So good," she managed between breaths.

He watched as her skin flushed pink and he grew impossibly harder inside her, "Fuck!...I'm not...last much longer."

"Don't stop Draco." She moaned, "So...ungh...close."

He upped his tempo, driving into her and stroking her clit harder. She moaned loudly at the double sensation and he felt her tightening around him. He removed his fingers from her clit, lowering himself back down to her and thrust into her hard and fast.

She arched beneath him, her inner muscles spasmed around his hard flesh. She cried out his name as her body shuddered and quaked. Draco felt her orgasm explode around him, hot and wet, causing him to jerk into her, losing the steady rhythm he'd set. He slammed as deeply into her as he could, jets of warm liquid exploding from him, filling her. He groaned and collapsed onto her.

They lay together, covered in sweat, panting for breath, his head resting on her chest, her fingers brushing along his spine.

"Hmmm," Hermione hummed, completely spent and completely satisfied, "That was very grown up of us."

Draco laughed, his body shaking against hers, "Yes," he said and placed a kiss over her heart, "Yes, it most definitely was."


	12. Chapter 12

The house was quiet and dark when he arrived home. He hung his work robes in the cupboard under the stairs and wandered into the living room, loosening the top button on his shirt and rolling up the sleeves. He smiled to himself. The only light in the house was the warm glow coming from the library, and he wondered just how long she'd been in there. He guessed most of the day, and hoped that it had been; she was exhausted and needed to rest. But of course, being Hermione, she was stubborn and refused to acknowledge just how exhausted she was. It wasn't until St Mungos had ordered her home that she had finally realised that she needed to slow down.

Draco leaned on the door frame of the library smiling at the sight before him. Hermione was curled into the oversized armchair by the window, completely absorbed in the book she was reading. He loved her like this; in her own little bubble, completely oblivious to the world around her. She was unconsciously biting at her bottom lip, her brow furrowed, and she was rubbing her hand across her swollen belly, soothing the life that was growing inside her.

He still had to pinch himself just to make sure that this was real. That the tiny life inside her was theirs, that they had created it together. He had watched as his friends became parents, and he was truly happy and excited for them, but the elation he felt simply seeing her like this every day, seeing her carry _their_ child, and the anticipation of its impending birth, was something he could not describe.

He'd tried to be as much a part of her pregnancy as he could. He'd held her hair when she was violently sick in the first few weeks; regardless of the fact she told him _he_ _didn't need to see her like this._ She'd been so sick that Draco had gone into full on panic mode and had wanted her to give up working right there and then, but she'd refused, telling him that it would soon pass. And of course she'd been right. And all the stories he'd heard regarding pregnant women and sex had been true, well, in his case anyway. Once the sickness had ended, what he liked to refer to as _The Horny Pregnant Hermione Phase_ had kicked in, and he was the one who was constantly exhausted.

And her bump. It was as if it had happened overnight. A tiny, rounded, hard little bump had popped out, and both of them had turned into excited children at the sight. He had dropped to his knees in front of her and cupped her belly in his hands, telling it that he was its Daddy and he couldn't wait to meet it. And when they discovered they were having a girl - his own little princess -he didn't think his life could get any better.

The first time he heard his daughter's heartbeat, he thought his own heart would burst. And the very first fuzzy black and white images of her on the screen at the hospital had him in tears. And as the weeks progressed, and the image became clearer, showing his daughters, eyes, mouth, nose and ears; her little fingers and toes, he was a blubbering mess all over again. And those first few butterfly kicks he finally felt after Hermione had had the privilege of knowing them for several weeks, astounded him, actual proof that there was a living being inside her. And every night he had kissed both Hermione and their daughter good night and fell asleep with his hand on her belly.

And he would never ever forget the day she told him he was going to be a father.

 **DM#HG**

 _"Magical clean up tonight," Hermione said, "I'm not washing this many dishes."_

 _It was well after midnight and another New Year's celebration was finishing up. Hermione and Draco had hosted this year's celebration, and Hermione waved away their offers to help clean up. Hermione believed that even though they could do almost everything using magic, it was not necessary all the time. However, tonight was a different story._

 _About thirty or so of their friends had turned up, and Blaise had decided to turn the night into a loud, drunken affair by challenging Draco, Harry and Ron to a bet that they couldn't drink two bottles of Firewhiskey between them. Adrian Pucey, (who was Harry's Auror partner), Draco's lab assistant Anthony Goldstein, their fellow Gryffindor Seamus Finnegan, had gotten in on the bet and added another two bottles, and all six had ended up slurring their words and declaring their love for each other by the end of the night._

 _Ginny, who was five months into her first pregnancy – Harry's birthday having been a bigger celebration than any of them knew it would be - was helping her finish with the clean up, while Draco and Harry were slumped on the couch, both of them two sheets to the wind and philosophising...something. Both women had lost track of the conversation ages ago, but it was both incredibly serious and incredibly funny at the same time._

 _Pansy had dragged Ron off the sofa and taken him home an hour earlier, telling Blaise that if she wasn't seven months pregnant with twins, she'd kick his arse into next Tuesday. Graham had kindly offered to help her with Ron, cursing Blaise, telling he would be sleeping on the couch tonight – pregnant Pansy was way more terrifying than regular Pansy._

 _"Are you guys staying here?" Hermione asked, "The guest room's yours if you want it."_

 _"No, I think I'll take him home," Ginny said, "You don't need two cranky arses in the morning."_

 _"Two?" Hermione asked._

 _"Yeah, two," Ginny smirked, "I'm pregnant, I'll leave him here and you can deal with them both."_

 _Hermione laughed, "Take this," she handed Ginny a small vial of clear liquid, "Tell him to take it when he wakes up."_

 _"Hangover cure?" Ginny asked and Hermione nodded, she'd already sent one each home with Pansy, Padma, Cho and Demelza for their respective partners, "Maybe I'll torture him for an hour or so before I give it to him."_

 _"Evil!" Hermione laughed._

 _"I know," Ginny grinned, then her face softened, "But maybe I shouldn't be, he never gets to do this." She nodded at their drunken partners, "Did you ever think you'd see that?"_

 _"Not in a million years," Hermione shook her head and laughed, "But then I'm sleeping with him, so what do I know?"_

 _"That's true," Ginny agreed and laughed, crossing the room, holding her hands out to Harry, "Come on you."_

 _"He-ey, it's my gorgeous wife," Harry slurred, "Draco, this is my wife Ginny. She gorgeous. Have you met her?"_

 _Hermione laughed, and Ginny shook her head, "He's met me lots of times, my drunken husband. In fact, we hang out all the time and he even used to live with me."_

 _Harry looked at Ginny, then Draco, his eyes wide, "You lived with my wife? You should get your own wife."_

 _Draco frowned, his alcohol addled brain trying to decipher what Harry just said, "No, I don't need a wife, I have a girlfriend. See," he pointed at Hermione, "Hermione Granger, you know her. Hermione's my girlfriend. Your wife's not my girlfriend."_

 _"Then why do you hang out with Ginny?" Harry glanced between Ginny and Draco, his face looked confused, "And why aren't I there?"_

 _Hermione and Ginny were laughing, "You_

 _are there," Ginny told him, "We're all friends."_

 _"Really?" Harry asked his eyes going wide as he looked over at Draco, "We're friends with Malfoy?"_

 _"Yeah, we are." Hermione told him, "We have been for a while now. In fact, that's why you're sitting here talking to him."_

 _Draco pointed to Ginny's belly, "Did you do that to her?"_

 _Harry slapped Draco's shoulder, "I did," he said proudly, "That's my son in there."_

 _"Are you sure?" Draco said frowning._

 _Harry looked at Ginny, who shook her head and slapped his arm, "Yes, it's your son!"_

 _"Yep, all mine." Harry told Draco, "You should have a kid."_

 _"I can't have a kid," Draco replied, "I'm not a girl." They looked at each other and burst out laughing._

 _"Merlin! You two are idiots!" Ginny laughed, "Harry, get up. Hermione help me."_

 _They pulled Harry from the couch, and he flung his arm around Hermione, "I love you, you know."_

 _"And I love you too, Harry." Hermione giggled, it had been a long time since she'd seen him like this. He was always so serious, his job intense and demanding and he rarely had time to just relax._

 _"Did you know we're friends with Malfoy?" Harry said in what Hermione assumed was supposed to be a whisper._

 _"I did know," Hermione said conspiratorially, "And guess what? I'm sleeping with him."_

 _"Whoa," Harry said, "You're crazy. Why would you do that?"_

 _Hermione laughed, "Because I love him."_

 _"Hey!" Draco slurred, "Stop hugging Hermione. Get your own girlfriend."_

 _"I have one," Harry said._

 _"You have a girlfriend and a wife?" Draco asked, "Geez, don't tell Ginny!"_

 _"It's okay, Ginny's my wife. Have you met her?"_

 _"Okay," Ginny said, wrapping an arm around Harry's waist, "We've had this conversation. It's time to get you home to bed." She leaned over and kissed Hermione's cheek, "You okay with him?" She nodded at Draco._

 _"Yeah, we'll be fine." Hermione said, "You okay with him?"_

 _Ginny grinned at Harry, "I'll be happy if I can get him to the couch at home. Bye!"_

 _Hermione watched as they disapperated, and then sighed at Draco. His eyes were closing, his head slumped to one side. She leaned down and kissed him, starling him awake, "Did you want to sleep out here?" She asked him._

 _"I love you," he said, his voice heavy. He reached out grabbing her hips and pulling her to him. She slipped onto his lap, her knees either side of his hips, even in his drunken state, with his eyes half closed and slurring his words, he was still stunning. His blonde hair cut short, but still long enough to mess up and grip in her hands, his stormy grey eyes that she had always loved. The peace that now resided in him, the relaxed, calm way he went about his life was a far cry from when she first knew him._

 _His hands went to the button on her jeans, and Hermione bit her lip to stop herself from laughing. He could barely keep his eyes open, there was no way he'd manage to undo her jeans. His hands fumbled, and he cursed._

 _"Help me," he slurred, his head lolling to one side._

 _Hermione cupped his jaw and leaned in and kissed him, "Maybe we can do this tomorrow. I think it's time for bed." She stood in front of him and held her hands out, "Come on, get up."_

 _He took her hands, and let her pull him up. She apparated them to their bedroom, knowing that there was no way she'd get him up the stairs._

 _"Wait!" Hermione cried, stopping him from falling onto the bed, "You need to undress."_

 _He smirked at her, "Admit it Granger, you just want to see me naked."_

 _She pushed his shirt over his shoulders, dropping it to the floor, "I've seen you naked plenty of times."_

 _"Plenty of times, huh?" He asked, as he lay on the bed, "Do you like me naked?"_

 _She laughed, "Of course I like you naked," she told him, pulling his shoes and socks off and unbuttoning his jeans._

 _"Is that why you're getting me naked now?" He asked his eyes half closed._

 _"No, you can't sleep in your clothes, and as much as you'd like to, you're too drunk to do anything else," She informed him, stripping his jeans off and pulling the covers back, flinging them over him. His eyes were already closed and he murmured something unintelligible. She watched as his body relaxed and sleep took him._

 _She stripped off and slid in beside him, watching him sleep. His face was calm, his breathing steady and even, he was completely relaxed and at ease. Five years they'd been together. Five years. She was still astounded that they had managed to become friends, let alone anything else. Her eleven year old self would never have believed this, but her twenty-four year old self couldn't imagine herself without him._

 _She smiled and slid her arm across his stomach, pressing her body into his side. He shuddered slightly at her touch and then sighed, his body relaxing further into the bed._

 _She closed her eyes, and instantly opened them again; a loud snore shattering the silence. She groaned. Maybe the couch was a better option._

* * *

 _"Good morning!" Hermione sang as Draco lumbered into the living room. He was dressed in sweat pants and a t-shirt, his hair still damp from the shower, his feet were bare. "How are you feeling?"_

 _He held his hand up, and winced, reaching into the cupboard for his hangover cure. Hermione watched with amusement as he drank the small vial and waited the few seconds for it to work. He sighed and finally looked over at her. She was sitting on the couch, reading, her back pressed against the armrest, her legs stretched out along the cushioned seats, her head resting on the high back. He walked over and tapped her legs. She lifted them, allowing him to sit, before lowering them across his lap._

 _"Please don't let me drink that much ever again," he said, and Hermione laughed._

 _"I don't know, drunken Draco was pretty funny." She teased, "And drunk Draco and drunk Harry were even funnier."_

 _"We didn't get naked and dance, did we?" Draco grimaced._

 _Hermione laughed, "No, but I wish you would have. That would have been hilarious!"_

 _He ran his hand along her leg and smiled, "It was a good night, huh?"_

 _"It was," she agreed, "We have great friends."_

 _"We do," he replied, and Hermione frowned. He seemed distracted. It could have been the hangover, but his cure usually worked wonders, leaving no trace of the effects of a drunken night._

 _"Are you alright?" She asked._

 _"Hmm. Yeah," he said, leaning his head back against the high back of the couch, "Just thinking."_

 _"About..." Hermione asked._

 _"Do you know what today is?"_

 _"New Years Day"_

 _"Smart arse," he said, pinching her thigh and making her squirm, "No. Today is our fifth New Years' together."_

 _"Five years, huh?" she smiled at him, "Are we counting the first one? Because technically we weren't together."_

 _"Oh, that one so counts," He said taking her hand and linking their fingers, "That's the most important one."_

 _"That was a good night, huh." She said teasingly._

 _"Meh," he said kissing her knuckles, "I've had better."_

 _Hermione laughed, "Oh really?"_

 _"Oh, wow, Hermione, you wouldn't believe it, since that night, I've had some of the best sex of my life." His eyes were wide in a mock display of disbelief._

 _"You're an idiot," she said still laughing._

 _He shifted his position, stretching his legs out and sliding up to lay next to her. She turned into him so they were laying on their sides, facing each other, "How long have you been reading for?"_

 _She shrugged, "I don't know," she craned her neck in an attempt to see the clock, "A while, apparently. Why?"_

 _"You have your reader frown." He told her and then laughed as her brow creased._

 _"My what?"_

 _"The adorable frown you get on you face when you're reading. You concentrate so hard that it looks like it's hurting your brain to read." he touched the place between her eyebrows with the tip of his finger, "It's my favourite thing."_

 _"My frown is your favourite thing?"_

 _"No," He said, "It's just one of a thousand things I love. You talk to yourself when you're in the shower; you laugh at the silliest things," he tapped her forehead, "When you read, the entire world disappears; your first priority in life is never yourself, it's always everyone else. I love your anger, and your passion. I love the breathless way you say my name when we're in bed. And I love who I am with you."_

 _"You should get drunk more often," she remarked, "I like philosophical Draco."_

 _His arms were around her waist again as he pulled her close to him she instinctively pressed her hands to his chest as he captured her mouth in a passionate kiss, "Marry me, Hermione?"_

 _She gasped, her eyes going wide, "What?" She whispered._

 _He smiled, "Marry me."_

 _Hermione felt the tears filling her eyes, he had told her that he ask her when she least expected it, and this was that moment."Really? You're asking me..."_

 _Draco smiled, "Yes, I'm asking you to let me be your husband and to let me spend the rest of my life with you. Marry me?"_

 _She wrapped her arms around his neck, "Yes. Yes, yes, yes!" She told him and laughed._

 _Draco reached down into his pocket, "Here, this is for you." He said with an ear to ear grin._

 _Hermione's eyes went wide, "Draco, it's beautiful." She was looking that the ring he was holding up to her. It was a white gold and platinum antique ring. A diamond sat in the centre with eight rubies and emeralds surrounding it. Intricate filigree work that was so fine it looked as if it would break ran down the shoulders and finished it perfectly. He slid it onto her finger and she stared down at it._

 _"Perfect fit." He said._

 _"This is old," she said, more to herself than him._

 _"It is," he replied, "Irish elves made this. About three centuries ago."_

 _Her heart almost stopped. This tiny piece of gold on her finger was worth more than their house, "Draco," she breathed, "It's too much. I didn't need this. I just-"_

 _He cut her off, pressing his lips gently against her mouth, "I saw it three months ago on the trip I took to Ireland, and I instantly knew it was yours." He had gone to Ireland with Neville Longbottom, on a plant finding mission, and while wandering around Dublin's version of Diagon Alley, he had spotted it. Neville had agreed that it was perfect; he had also agreed to keep his mouth shut. He'd laughed and told him that it was about time._

 _"But Draco-"_

 _"But nothing," He said, "Even Neville agreed it was perfect for you."_

 _"Neville knew?" he nodded and she narrowed her eyes at him, "You've been planning this for a while then?"_

 _"Of course I have. It's been in the works for about five years now," he winked at her and she laughed, "I just didn't plan to get as drunk as I did last night."_

 _"You were going to ask me last night? In front of everyone?" Hermione looked surprised. Draco wasn't one for public gestures, and neither was she, even if it was in front of their friends._

 _"No. It was always going to be today. Early mornings with you reading on the couch, it's just another of my favourite things. I was just wishing my head had been a little clearer when I woke up."_

 _Hermione pushed herself away from him and stood up, "Give me a minute, I have something for you."_

 _He shook his head at her as she headed for the stairs, "You're a witch, you can apparate, you know!" he called after her._

 _"We don't have to use magic all the time!" she yelled back_

 _"I knew you remembered," he said when she returned a minute later._

 _She flopped back down beside him. "Here, this is for you."_

 _He frowned at her, "Hermione, what is this?"_

 _She smiled at him, "That there," she pointed at the mark in the middle of the plastic stick she'd given him, "Says you're going to be a daddy."_

 _She watched as his frown deepened, and he stared at the white plastic stick in his hands, his brain processing what she had just told him. He looked at her and then back to the stick in his hands._

 _Daddy. What?" his voice was soft and cautious and he looked confused._

 _She took his hand and placed it on her stomach, "In here. Your baby is in here."_

 _Draco looked at his hand on her bare skin. He stood, pulling his hand away from her, and stared at her in shock for what felt like an eternity. Hermione's heart started racing, her blood thumping in her ears. Of all the scenarios she had imagined for this moment, the shock on his face and his complete silence was not one of them. Biting her lip, she took a deep breath, exhaling shakily. She looked down at her belly, waiting for him to say something, anything, but he remained silent._

 _She thought he would be happy. They'd not actually discussed this, but his assurance when he bought their house, his reason for wanting so many bedrooms, was now growing inside her and his silence, his complete lack of reaction, was killing her. She felt the tears escape her eyes and she brushed them away quickly._

 _She wanted to get up, move away from the intensity of his state, but her feet had suddenly forgotten how to walk. The silence was growing heavier as each second ticked by. She closed her eyes, her own bombshell seeming to shatter the elation of his proposal just minutes ago._

 _"Draco." She started, her voice cracking and she found herself unable to continue._

 _"You're pregnant?" He asked quietly, finally snapping out of his trance. Hermione nodded, still unable to look up at him, "But how?"_

 _"Pansy's birthday. We were both drunk and I guess my charm didn't work. Sorry." Even in her own ears, her voice sounded small and defeated. She was sure he would take the ring back. He would tell her that this was too soon, that he wasn't ready._

 _It had been Pansy's birthday six weeks prior and since Pansy and Ginny were both pregnant, Hermione had more than made up for her friends inability to drink, and she and Draco had barely made to the bottom of the stairs when they apparated home before they were naked and covered in sweat._

 _He dropped to his knees in front of her, his hands touching her cheeks, drawing her gaze up to him, "You're pregnant?' He asked again in a whisper, shock still lingering in his eyes. She couldn't tell if this was a good reaction or a bad one. She simply nodded again._

 _"When did you find out?" He asked softly, his hands still on her face._

 _"A week ago." She said, wincing slightly._

 _"Why didn't you tell me?" There was no accusation in his voice, he was simply asking._

 _"I wanted to surprise you and I thought today would be perfect, I didn't know you had your own surprise," she felt another tear escape, "Sorry." Her voice was shaking and she closed her eyes, biting on her lip. How could she have been so wrong? After everything that they'd been thought together, this should have been easy. Telling him he was going to be a father should have been the simplest thing she had to do, but this had turned into a disaster._

 _"Hermione," his voice was barely a whisper, his hand trembling as he caressed her chin, tipping her face up, making her meet his eyes, "We're having a baby?" His tone had changed, he was still shocked, but she could see in his eyes that he was ecstatic._

 _"Yes." She nodded and burst into tears. She cursed her stupid baby hormones for turning her into a blubbering mess._

 _And then he was pulling her to him, his arms surrounding her tightly in hug, "Hey," He whispered in her ear, "What's with the tears?"_

 _"I thought you were angry." She said through sobbing breaths._

 _"Angry?" he was rocking her gently, "No. Definitely not angry, I just freaked out a little. I'm sorry."_

 _She swallowed thickly, it was about all she could manage, and leaned against him again, burrowing her face into his neck._

 _"We're having a baby." He repeated, "Wow, I...I don't know what to say."_

 _"So you're happy?" She asked, still trying to get her breathing back under control._

 _He pulled away slightly to look at her and she met his eyes and found awe and happiness, and a mile wide grin, staring back at her, "Happy? Happy doesn't even come close. I'm..." He struggled to get his thoughts out and kissed her instead. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and sighed into the kiss._

 _"Are you sure you're okay with it?" She asked quietly, his reaction still had her somewhat insecure._

 _He pulled away from her and spread his hand over her belly and she shivered at his touch, "Our baby is growing inside of you," he marvelled, "I couldn't want for anything more."_

* * *

 _They were still curled on the sofa together when they heard a familiar popping sound in the hallway._

 _"Darlings, are you here?" Narcissa called and wandered into the living room, "Oh, I'm sorry. I've interrupted you."_

 _They both laughed and sat up, "No, it's fine mother," Draco told her, "We were just recovering quietly from last night."_

 _"Excuse me?" Hermione laughed, "We?"_

 _"Okay, I was recovering quietly." Draco conceded._

 _"I came to wish you both a happy new-" Narcissa stopped, her eyes going wide. She'd spotted the ring on Hermione's finger. "Is that...?"_

 _Hermione grinned, "It is. Draco asked me this morning."_

 _Narcissa pulled them both from the couch and wrapped them in a bone braking embrace, "Thank you mother," Draco choked out from Narcissa's grip around his neck._

 _Narcissa pulled back, looking at them both, tears in her eyes, "Oh, my darlings, this is wonderful news."_

 _Hermione glanced at Draco, "Should we?"_

 _He raised an eyebrow at her and shrugged, "Your choice." He said._

 _"Um, there's something else we need to tell you." Hermione told her, taking her hand and squeezing it, "You're going to be a grandmother."_

 _Narcissa's eyes went wide, and she appeared to stop breathing. Hermione bit her lip, stopping the laughter. Her talent today seemed to be shocking the Malfoy's._

 _"A Grandmother? What do you...a baby?" Narcissa whispered. She looked down at Hermione's stomach, "Really?"_

 _"Really," Hermione said._

 _"When?" Narcissa's face was glowing, her smile almost split her face in two._

 _"I'm about six weeks, so maybe August." Hermione said._

 _Narcissa pulled her into an embrace, "Engaged and having a baby, this is the most perfect day."_

 _"I agree," Hermione said._

 _She turned her attention to Draco, "So I guess wedding plans will have to be quick, and there will be so much to organise."_

 _Hermione watched amused, as Draco and Narcissa conversed back and forth; where, when, guest lists, food. It went on and on, as if she wasn't in the room._

 _"Hey!" She finally cried, startling them both, "Do I get any say in this, or do I just need to turn up?"_

 _They both had identical expressions of guilt on their faces, and Hermione laughed._

 _"Sorry," they both said._

 _"There will be no wedding," Hermione informed them, "Not until after this baby is born."_

 _"But darling, the newspapers will be all over this, don't you think-" Narcissa began._

 _Hermione held up her hand, "No, I don't care what they write or say, they can spread all the rumours and the gossip that they like. But I want to wait." she said firmly, "I had no idea Draco was going to propose to me today, and regardless of whether he did or not, this baby is on its way whether we're married or not." She looked at Draco, realising he might want what his mother was suggesting, "If that's okay with you."_

 _"Hey, you agreed to marry me and you're having my baby," He grinned at her, "You can decide the where and when of the rest of it." He glanced at his mother, "Sorry mother, but I do not wish to piss off a pregnant woman. Pansy scares the shit out of me, I don't want this one to do the same."_

 _Narcissa laughed, "Perfect answer darling. Don't anger the pregnant woman."_

 **DM#HG**

He watched her for several minutes before she finally looked up, her face breaking into a smile when she realised he was home.

"Hey," she said, bushing her hand across her stomach again; the tiny life inside her had been restless for hours, making for a very uncomfortable day. It was why she had given up on doing anything and decided to spend the day reading. "How long have you been standing there?"

Draco crossed the room, and planted in a kiss on her forehead, "A few minutes. Just enjoying the view."

She snorted, "Seriously?" She was wearing a ratty old pair of sweat pants and one of his t-shirts, her hair was pulled up into a simple pony tail and she was sans makeup.

"Seriously," he replied, "You're stunning."

She rolled her eyes at him, "You're sweet, but you may have to reassess your definition of stunning."

He squatted down in front of her, his hands going straight to her belly, "What do you think little miss? Is your mum stunning?" And as if on cue, their daughter rolled and kicked.

"Oh, you two are hilarious," Hermione said sarcastically. For the last month it seemed every time Draco spoke, their daughter would do back flips, and he'd seized on the phenomenon and used it to his advantage.

He leaned in and pressed his ear to her belly, "What's that little miss?" He said, "She _is_ stunning. I thought so."

She brushed her hand though his hair, "You're an idiot." she laughed.

He pushed himself up and kissed her, "Ah yes, but I'm your idiot."

She wrapped her hand around his neck, pulling him back to her mouth, kissing him hard. He gripped the arms of the chair, returning her kiss with equal fervour. Her book dropped to the floor with a dull _thump_ as her hands went to his belt, deftly opening it and tugging at his zipper.

"Hermione," Draco's voice was tight, "What are you doing?"

"I'd think it was fairly obvious," she said.

"Are you sure?" Draco asked. It had been almost a month since they'd had sex. The further along her pregnancy progressed, the more tired she became. And with only two weeks until her due date, she had very little energy to spare. And as much as he wanted to make love to her, he didn't want to push her.

"Draco, please. It's been too long, I miss this with you." She pleaded.

"Well, not out here," he said, pulling her to her feet and heading for their bedroom, "You need to be comfortable."

She giggled as he led them up the stairs, pulling his shirt over his head on the way. He continued stripping as they reached the bedroom, his shoes hitting the wall with a _thunk_ , his pants sliding across the floorboards as he kicked them off. His boxers followed quickly, leaving him completely naked and clearly ready.

"Eager much?" She asked, an eyebrow raised.

"It's been a month, Hermione. Not that I care, but...a month!" He reached across the bed, pulling the pillows towards the middle, making a nest of sorts.

"What're doing?" Hermione frowned at him.

He grinned, "Making sure you'll be comfortable." He stood in front of her and pulled his t-shirt that she was wearing over her head. He dropped to his knees yanking her pants and underwear down in one movement. His hands went to her belly, rubbing gently over her smooth skin, smothering her with kisses. He stood again, reaching behind her to release her breasts from the confines of her bra and dropped it to the floor.

"Stunning." He whispered, his mouth pressed against hers. She moaned as his tongue slid into her mouth.

He broke the kiss and led her to the bed, "On your knees, my love, your belly should be comfortable in there." He indicated the nest he'd made with the pillows.

She looked over her shoulder at him, "I love you, you know that?"

He kissed the tip of her nose, "I know."

She laughed, positioning herself on the bed, leaning down on her hands and knees, her belly supported by the pillows.

Draco ran his hands along the backs of her thighs, across the curve of her arse, drawing tiny circles on her skin. He kissed his way along her spine, his hands following along her ribs and curving around to caress her breasts. She hissed out a breath as he squeezed, "Too much," he asked against her skin.

"No, it's okay, just a bit sensitive." She told him, her voice breathy.

"I don't want to hurt you Hermione, tell me if I am."

"It's okay, keep going."

He continued kissing along her back, his hands squeezing her breasts, tweaking her nipples, rolling them between his fingers. Her breasts had swelled with the impending arrival, and Draco wasn't embarrassed at all to say he approved. He loved her pregnant. She practically glowed and he had found himself falling more in love with her as their baby grew and her belly swelled.

He kissed his way back down, nipping at her hips and arse as he dropped to his knees behind her, "Spread your legs," he told her, watching as she shifted her position. She moaned loudly at the first swipe of his tongue across her core, rocking her hips slightly. Draco's fingers pressed into her thighs as his mouth worked her into a frenzy. Tiny curses and moans emanated from her as his tongue slid inside her. He felt her shift and pulled back, thinking he had pushed her too much, but was pleased to find her reaching for her clit, rubbing hard against it. His mouth resumed its' assault on her channel, her wetness flooding across his tongue sending a shiver though his body ending low in his belly. He reached down, gripping himself hard, preventing himself from exploding before being inside her.

She was close, he knew her tells. Her breathing was hard and fast, his name falling from her mouth repeatedly, her hips rocking back onto his mouth. His hand reached up to join hers, massaging her clit, his tongue frantic on her entrance. Her breath stuttered and a long, loud groan poured from her mouth and she came on his tongue. Her head dropped, and she was gasping for breath, her body shuddering with the aftershocks of her orgasm.

Draco kissed the insides of her thighs, before kneeling behind her, "Are you ready for me? Or do you need me to wait?"

"No, don't wait," she demanded, "Please Draco, please."

He reached down, lining himself up and pushed into her. They both groaned at the sensation, realising how much they'd both missed it. She reached back for him and he linked his fingers with hers. A tiny gesture that felt more intimate than being buried deep within her. He gripped her hip with his free hand and plunged into her, her hips grinding back against him with every thrust. He looked down between them, watching himself sliding in and out of her, her pussy pulsating around his cock. He squeezed his eyes shut, willing himself to hold on, to wait for her.

"Draco," she moaned, "Oh, fuck! Harder...please."

"I don't want to hurt you."

"You..won't..." Hermione panted, "Draco...harder."

Draco dropped her hand and reached around her to find her clit, flicking and pressing against it, his thighs burning as he pounded into her. She braced herself on both arms as her inner muscles beginning to flutter around him and slammed back against him.

"Hermione!" Draco cried feeling his own release barrel down his spine.

Her head dropped forward and a feral moan left her throat as her body tensed and she clamped down on his cock. The pressure in his balls exploded as he slammed into her and came deep inside her. He dropped his forehead to her back, breathing hard. He slowly withdrew from her, and she shifted on the bed to roll to her side. He collapsed next to her, and she grinned at him.

"Good holy fuck!" She said and laughed, "That was amazing."

"Agreed," Draco said rolling to face her. He rubbed his hand over her belly, "You okay?"

She cupped his face, "Perfectly fine, both of us."

Draco felt a kick in her belly, and she winced, "Hermione?"

"That's her way of scolding you for getting my heart rate up so high." She winced again.

"Hermione? What's happening? Are you okay?" Draco's eyes were wide, worried.

She touched his hand that was on her belly, "Draco, I'm fine. This late in the pregnancy, my uterus can contract after an orgasm that intense. She's just getting a little squished, that's all."

He let out a breath, "Are you sure?"

She smiled at him, "You didn't hurt us. We're both fine."

He laid back down, his hand still on her stomach. He grinned at her, "That _was_ pretty awesome."

Hermione laughed and leaned over to kiss him, "Better than awesome. Phenomenal, I would say."

He shifted closer to her, her belly pressing into him, his forehead pressed to hers, "I love you." He said quietly.

"Mmmm," she murmured, "I love you too."

* * *

Draco woke a few hours later to an empty bed. He raised his head from the pillow to find Hermione pacing the floor at the end of the bed, her hand rubbing against her lower back.

"Hermione?" He said, sleepily, "Are you okay?"

She stopped and smiled at him, his hair was beautifully scruffed and his face was wrinkled from the pillow, "Just a bit uncomfortable." She groaned, "Your daughter has been doing back flips all day. _Ugh_!"

"How long have you been awake?" Draco asked leaping out of the bed and was beside her in an instant.

Hermione winced, "Maybe an hour."

"And you didn't think to wake me?" He placed his hand on her belly.

She winced again, "Merlin! Fuck!"

"That's sounds like a lot more than back flips."

A sudden, searing pain ripped though her, low in her belly. She groaned and grabbed his arms digging her fingers into him. Her eyes went wide as she felt a wetness between her thighs.

"Hermione?" Draco's voice was alarmed.

"I think my waters just broke," she told him.

Draco's face turned ashen as a bolt of panic rushed over him, "Okay, um, we need to go. I'll get your bag," and he disappeared into the closet, returning seconds later, her hospital bag in hand. He looked down at himself, "Shit!" He said realising he was naked and returned to the closet. He came back half a minute later wearing jeans and pulling a t-shirt over his head.

Hermione huffed out a breath and grimaced, as another contraction hit. Draco grabbed her elbows, holding her upright while she breathed through the pain.

"Hermione?" Draco was struggling to remain calm, "We should go, right?"

She nodded, "I just need to clean up first."

"They're not going to care." He said exasperated.

"I will!" She hollered back at him. She returned several minutes later, wearing leggings and one of Draco's t-shirts. She gripped the doorframe, and Draco rushed to her, taking her hands, talking her through the pain.

She huffed out a final breath, and smiled at Draco, "Hey," she said softly, "Are you ready."

He leaned in and kissed her, "So ready. Can we go now?"

Hermione laughed, "Yes, let's go have a baby.


	13. Chapter 13

"You're doing great." Doctor Fisher told her, "Everything is moving along nicely."

They had chosen a muggle hospital, a very expensive, very private, muggle hospital, knowing full well the trouble they'd have at St Mungos, regardless of the fact the Hermione worked there and had their reassurances that no one would be privy to any details. Pansy and Ron, and Ginny and Harry had run the media gauntlet when the first of the Golden Trio's offspring had arrived. Pansy and Ron's twins, Sage and Hugo, had been big news, especially since no one outside their inner circle knew that they were even expecting twins. They had hardly been able to leave their house without being followed. And then when James Sirius Potter arrived, the gossip columnists almost went into meltdown and the mad scramble to get pictures of him had made Harry and Ginny's lives hell.

So Hermione and Draco were determined to keep their daughter out of the papers for as long as they could, and everyone around them had been sworn to secrecy.

" _Nicely_?" Hermione snapped, "Really? Fucking nicely, my arse!"

Draco shot Doctor Fisher an apologetic look as Hermione muttered _stupid doctor_ , but he just laughed. "Hey, it's either me or you that gets the blame for this, looks like it's me this time. I'll be back soon to check on you."

Hermione rolled to one side, and closed her eyes, "Why is this taking so long?" They had been there now for almost ten hours and she was at her wits end. The pain had intensified in the last hour with almost no reprieves between contractions. Ripping pains through her body with no apparent end in sight. She had dealt with women giving birth at St Mungos, talking them through their own pain, but it still hadn't prepared her for her own labour. And what she was experiencing now, she didn't think anything _could_ prepare her for it.

Draco was sitting in a chair beside the bed, not having left her side the entire time. He took her hand in his and pressed his lips to it, "Because our daughter is stubborn, just like her mother." He watched as Hermione's mouth twitched, her lips curved into a small smile.

"I'm not stubborn." She told him just before screwing her face up as pain shot through her again, "Argh! Fuck Draco, this hurts!"

He brushed his hand across her forehead, watching as she curled her legs up, trying to stop the pain, "I know baby, I know. I'm sorry."

She was silent for the next twenty minutes, only her breathing and groans audible in the room, as wave after wave of pain built, crested and dissipated in a constant ebb and flow. Draco kept hold of her hand, feeling helpless. He knew that at the end of all this, she would forget the pain and be focused solely on their daughter, but in this moment, he was distressed at not being able to do anything to help her.

"Talk to me," Hermione said breaking the silence.

"What about?" Draco asked.

"Anything," she said, "Just talk, I need to hear you."

"Um-" Draco began but was interrupted.

"Not Quidditch." Hermione told him and he laughed.

He kissed her forehead, "Not Quidditch." He agreed already knowing full well that any talk of his favourite sport would get him kicked out of the room immediately.

"There was this one time when we were in our fifth year at school, it was just a tiny little moment and you probably don't even remember it," Draco pulled the chair he was sitting on closer the side of the bed, and leaned forward resting on his forearms and lowering his voice. The room was a constant hive of activity, with their doctor, and several nurses wandering in an out, and he was sure that they would all wonder if he'd gone insane if they heard him, "We had just finished our Potions class, I was on my way to Divination and you were on your way to Charms. You weren't watching where you were going – again – and you almost tripped at the top of the stairs as they moved. Out of simple reflex I grabbed your arm and stopped you from falling. You put your hand on my chest and said thank you, before even realising that it was me. And even after you did realise it was me, you smiled at me and then we both went about our days, and you probably didn't give it another thought." He paused, wincing as she groaned and squeezed his arm.

"Keep going," she said through gritted teeth.

"You completely pissed me off that day. You pissed me off most days, but that one more so than most," He laughed when she scowled at him, "You completely pissed me off, because I couldn't get you out of my head. And with all the other shit that was going on at the time, I shouldn't have been thinking about you. But I was."

"Why were you?" Hermione asked, her eyes were closed and she was taking deep breaths, and he knew she was trying to ignore the pain. He smiled, she was a healer and she knew she wouldn't be able to just wish this away, but he admired her focus.

He pressed a cool cloth to her forehead, "Because when you said _thank you_ , when you touched my chest, I knew."

"Knew what?" she was trying to catch her breath while there was there was a small reprieve between contractions.

"I knew that I loved you." He whispered.

Her eyes flew open, "What? But you were only fifteen. And you hated me."

He lifted her hand to his lips, "I did hate you, but those two little words changed everything. You were sincere because I had helped you and I saw you in a different light, and from that moment I was smitten."

"And you're only just telling me this now?" she closed her eyes and gritted her teeth, " _Argh_! _Fuck_!"

"Hermione, you need to breathe," he reminded her, "You know it helps."

"Since...you...were...fifteen?" she asked between breaths.

"Since I was fifteen," He said, "That one tiny moment just sealed it."

"Is that why you waited? You saved yourself for me?"

"Exactly," He said, even in all this pain, she managed to make him laugh, "It's why I started that rumour. I was trying to make myself look good to you."

She smiled despite the pain, "Liar, you were trying to make yourself look good for everyone." she joked, before her entire face screwed up and a loud, sobbing moan escaped her lips when the most intense contraction she'd had ripped through her. She tried to pull her knees up in an attempt to stop the sudden and immense pressure in her pelvis, "Draco," her voice was agonised.

"I'm right here," he said, pressing his lips to her forehead, "I'm not going anywhere."

The midwife, who had introduced herself as Kathy and had been constantly in and out of their room, crossed to her and seeing the distress at Hermione's pain on his face, put a reassuring hand on his shoulder and squeezed, "She's almost there Draco, not long now."

He smiled up at her, nodding _thanks_. Kathy patted Hermione on the leg, "That sounded painful Hermione; tell me what's going on."

"I think ..." Hermione scrunched her face and let out a long breath, "...I need to push."

"Can you roll to your back for me?" Kathy asked her gently, "I'm just going to check how you're progressing."

Hermione groaned as she rolled to her back and pulled her knees up.

"Well, I think you're right," She told her, "Your daughter has finally decided it's time to introduce herself to the world."

* * *

"You're doing great Hermione," Kathy told her, "Just a few more pushes."

For almost an hour she'd pushed, her body feeling like it was being ripped in half. Hermione flopped back onto the bed, and flung her arms over her face, she was hot and covered in sweat and had had enough, "I can't," she whimpered, "I can't do this anymore."

Draco peeled her arms back, and cupped her face, "Yes you can, you can do this. Compared to everything else you've been through, this is easy," he said quietly but he didn't care if they heard him, they could assume anything they liked, "You can do this. You're almost done. She's almost here."

"Draco, I-" she sobbed, "I just...no more."

"What do you need me to do?" He asked.

"Reach in and pull her out!" Hermione cried.

"As much as I'd love to do that, you know that it doesn't work that way," Draco told her. He glanced at Dr Fisher, who was laughing at Hermione's request. Draco kept his own amusement in check, but told himself to store that comment away and remind Hermione of it when this was all over.

"Help me." She pleaded.

"Sit up." He told her. Nurse Kathy instantly knowing what he was thinking, helped her sit forward and Draco climbed up behind her, cradling her between his legs, her back against his chest. He took her hands and linked their fingers. "You can do this. I know you can. Are you ready?"

"Yes." She said between gritted teeth

Dr Fisher smiled up at Draco, giving him a silent nod, "Okay Hermione, on your next contraction I need you to push as hard as you can."

Hermione took a deep breath, her hands squeezing Draco's, feeling the pain build, she drew in a breath and she curled forward and pushed. Draco cursed under his breath, wondering how, when she was so exhausted, that she could still almost break his hands. She cried out, and slumped back against his chest, breathing hard.

"Great job," Dr Fisher told her, "Are you ready to do it again?"

Hermione groaned, letting go of Draco's hands and squeezing his knees. Her next contraction came and she leaned forward, pushing hard and feeling her body stretching to breaking point. She was only fractionally aware that Draco was pressing his hand low on her back, rubbing gentle circles, trying to ease the pain.

"You're so close now Hermione," Dr Fisher told her, "One more push and you'll be able to feel the head."

Hermione nodded and squeezed her eyes shut. She took several deep breaths before bearing down and pushing along with the next contraction.

"That's it," Kathy said, "Reach down, Hermione."

Hermione glanced up at her and Kathy smiled and nodded. She reached her hand down and felt her daughter's head, and gasped. "Draco, that's our baby." She grabbed his hand, guiding it between her legs.

"It is," Draco whispered, "She's almost here."

Hermione leaned her head back on his shoulder, feeling the next contraction building. She gritted her teeth, and groaned.

"Push, Hermione, push." Dr Fisher said, "Almost there." With one final push, Hermione felt her baby slide out of her.

"She's here!" The doctor announced before placing their daughter on Hermione's chest, a loud wail filling the delivery room.

A mess of blood and fluids, red and wrinkled, she was most beautiful thing that Hermione had ever seen. Tears spilled from her eyes as she greeted her daughter for the first time, wrapping her hands around her tiny body. Hermione brushed her finger lightly over her daughters' nose, her lips, her cheek, her screams calming to huffs and whimpers at Hermione's touch.

Draco kissed Hermione's temple, "You're amazing."

"Hi baby girl, I'm so glad to finally meet you," Hermione whispered to her daughter, "Draco, she's perfect."

Draco's hand moved to cup her tiny head, "So amazingly perfect." He rested his head against Hermione's, as they both looked at the tiny life they had created. Hermione reached her hand back, caressing his cheek, as Draco's finger gently mimicked her movement, brushing his daughters' cheek, his face in complete awe, "So breathtakingly, beautifully perfect."

The doctor smiled at them both, "Here Dad," he said holding a pair of scissors out to him "Would you like to do the honours?"

Draco glanced at Hermione, who smiled and nodded at him. He shifted carefully from behind her, and looked to the doctor who directed him where to cut the cord, while the nurse wiped her clean with a cloth and placed a warm blanket over her, the tiny baby was startled by the actions and she let out a loud wail, her face scrunched up, turning scarlet.

"Oh, hey," Hermione said in a soothing voice, "It's okay, baby, it's okay. Shhh." Her eyes were shut tightly as she began to calm at Hermione's voice, her tiny hands fisting the air.

Draco reached for her, her tiny fingers gripping his, "Hey little miss," Draco said softly. He felt tears pricking at his eyes, and Hermione's hand reached out to touch his cheek, "Everything's okay. We're right here."

Kathy untied the hospital gown Hermione was wearing, and slid it down, "Hold her against your skin, she needs to feel you. And it'll help her stay warm." Hermione shifted slightly, allowing Kathy to help her readjust her daughter. She was transfixed by the baby on her chest. The warmth of her tiny body pressed against her skin was overwhelming. Tears pricked at her eyes, and she felt Draco's lips press against the top of her head. She leaned forward, kissing the top of her daughter's head, inhaling the heady scent of her new born baby.

"She's so tiny," Hermione said, cradling her daughter against her chest.

"She's pretty perfect, Mum." Kathy said quietly, and Hermione smiled up at her, watching as she placed a hat over her daughters head. Hermione winced as a slight pain shot through her, and she looked at Dr Fisher, alarmed.

"Just your placenta," he reassured her, "Just a few more pushes and you'll be done."

Hermione nodded, inwardly berating herself. She knew that's what the pain was, but with the distraction of her newborn on her chest, everything in her mind had gone to mush and her whole focus was centred on her. She held her breath, waiting for the searing pain of more contractions, but the pain didn't come. She felt a few mild pulls that lasted just a few minutes while Dr Fisher assisted her through the final stage of her labour.

She reached for Draco's hand, "You're a dad."

"And you're a mum." He told her, watching as their daughter blinked her eyes open, "She's so beautiful."

Draco gently placed his hand on his daughters back, while Hermione stroked her cheek, "What are you thinking?"

"How can you love someone so much when you've only just met them?" Hermione replied as her daughter flung her arm out from beneath the blanket, her tiny fingers stretching and flexing. Draco reached his hand out again, and her fingers closed around his. Hermione smiled at him, "She already knows you're her daddy."

"Daddy," Draco grinned at her, "I have a daughter. _We_ have a daughter."

The tiny girl began to whimper, her hand flexing against Hermione's skin. Her mouth opened and her tongue poked out, a small grunting noise, followed by another whimper escaped her.

"Are you ready to try feeding her?" Kathy asked.

Hermione's eye went wide, "Already?"

Kathy nodded, "She may not latch on first go, but don't get stressed, okay? Give her time to learn." She said, helping her to shift the baby into the crook of her arm, holding her head so she could latch onto Hermione's breast.

Hermione watched, fascinated, as her daughter fed from her, her tiny mouth suckling at her breast. She brushed her hand across her head, her thumb tracing her ear. Her daughters' eyes blinked open at her touch, "Hey there," Hermione whispered, "Hey there, beautiful girl." The baby pulled her mouth away after only ten minutes. Hermione looked up at Kathy who was smiling at her.

"She's fine. That's normal. Her tummy is tiny right now, so she's had enough for the moment," Kathy reassured her, "We just need to take her for a minute." Hermione looked alarmed, "It's okay, we just need to weigh and measure her, check a few things." Hermione nodded, and reluctantly allowed the nurse to take her daughter. She watched as they poked and prodded the tiny baby, weighed her and measured her, her daughter screaming the entire time.

She looked up to Draco, who was beaming at her, his eyes full of tears. He leaned down and kissed her, pulled back slightly, then kissed her again, "I am so completely in awe of you right now. I can't believe you did that. I can't believe she's finally here."

"Thank you," Hermione whispered, "Thank you for helping me."

"Me?" Draco said, "I didn't do anything. This was all you."

Hermione gasped suddenly,"You should call your mother, she should meet her first."

Draco couldn't help but laugh, "It's just after five in the morning. I'll think I'll call her later."

Hermione's eyes went wide, "What?" She'd lost complete track of all time. The pain had seemed to go on forever, but she hadn't really realised just how long it had been.

"You've been at this for a while," Draco told her, "Ten hours. I told you that I'm in awe of you, right?"

The nurse returned and Hermione reached for the bundle of pink that was now her tightly swaddled daughter, only her tiny face was visible, "She's okay?" Hermione asked.

"She's perfect, well done, mum," the nurse smiled at her, "She was born on the third of August at four sixteen am, six pounds four ounces, nineteen inches long. A good heart beat and as you can hear, a perfectly healthy set of lungs."

"Are you ready to hold her?" Hermione asked Draco, his eyes lighting up. Hermione watched as he took her for the first time, cradling her gently.

"Hello little miss," he said and her eyes blinked open, dark like Hermione's, staring calmly up at him, "I'm your daddy."

Hermione's heart leaped at the sight of Draco with their daughter. He had fallen completely in love, it was written all over his face. He rocked her gently, his eyes locked on her face, the two of them staring at each other. She looked so tiny against his chest, his large hands dwarfing her. She knew if she could see those storm grey eyes she would know exactly what he was feeling. But he was focused solely on the tiny life in his arms, and she was sure it would be a while before his focus shifted back to her.

"How are you feeling Hermione?" Kathy asked.

"I feel like I'm floating." She said, "And I didn't even have any drugs."

The nurse laughed, "That's normal," She reassured her.

"You've done a great job Hermione" Dr Fisher told her, "Just a few grazes, but no stitches. I'll leave you in Kathy's capable hands and check in on you tomorrow."

Hermione was astounded that over an hour had passed already; the world had seemed to have come to a standstill. The constant activity around her hadn't even distracted her from Draco and their daughter. Dr Fisher, Kathy and several other nurses had been checking both the baby and Hermione at regular intervals, until they were happy that both mother and daughter were in perfect health.

"Sorry I called you stupid," Hermione said, "I know you're not, I was just-"

He held up his hand, "It's fine," he laughed, "It's not the first time, and I'm sure it won't be the last."

Dr Fisher left the room and Hermione smiled at Kathy, "Looks like he'll be a good dad, huh?" she nodded at Draco, who was chatting quietly to their daughter and rocking her gently.

"Looks like it," Kathy agreed, "You got a good one there."

"I certainly did." Hermione felt tears in her eyes and she swatted at them quickly.

"Hey," Kathy said, "Cry all you like. It's perfectly fine _and_ perfectly normal. You'll probably experience massive highs and lows over the next few days. You have some crazy hormones raging through you right now. So just let the tears out, okay."

Hermione nodded and Draco took her hand, "You look happy." She told him.

"I don't think happy covers it." He looked back at the tiny bundle in his arms, "She looks just like you. As smart as you too."

Hermione laughed, "You don't know that."

"Yes I do," He leaned down and kissed her, "Like I said, she's perfect."

* * *

"What're you doing?" Draco asked.

It was almost midday, and they were still on a high, both having not slept a wink since their daughter's arrival, both simply basking in the glow that was new parenthood. She'd hardly made a sound, in the hours since her birth, so calm and content, and Hermione hoped that is was a sign of things to come, but she told herself that might just be wishful thinking.

Hermione huffed out a breath, gingerly putting her feet on the floor, "I need a shower I feel...bleh."

"Let me help." Draco said standing beside her, holding her elbow.

"I'm fine Draco," she said, but the slight pain low in her body had her wincing.

"Yeah, you're fine," Draco shook his head, "Let me help you, please."

"Okay, but just help to the bathroom, I don't need you to look at me in the shower, I'm gross."

He raised his eyebrows at her, "Really? I just watched you give birth to our daughter, I'm pretty sure I'm fine with the gross stuff."

"Fine," Hermione finally relented, "But bring her with us, don't leave her alone."

"She not alone, the bathroom's right there." He pointed to the en suite.

"Draco, just bring her."

Draco reached over to grab the hospital crib and wheeled it with them to the bathroom. He parked her in the doorway, and helped Hermione into the shower. She sighed as the hot water washed over her.

"Just what you needed, huh?" Draco asked, keeping one eye on Hermione and one eye on his daughter.

"Mm-hmm." She murmured and closed her closed. She was exhausted, her body felt like a train wreck, but the heat from the water helped. She reached a hand out, steadying herself against the tiled wall of the shower. She felt Draco's hand grip her arm, and silently thanked him for insisting that he help her. She opened her eyes and found him smiling at her, "We had a baby." She said.

"Yeah, we did." Draco grinned, "Well, you did. I just watched."

Hermione laughed, "You played your part."

"What? A twenty minute drunken romp at the bottom of the stairs?" Draco laughed.

"I'm sure it was longer than that," Hermione said, "And let's not ever let her or anyone else ever know that! Let's just be happy that she's perfect, and healthy, and she's ours."

Draco leaned in and kissed her, not caring that he was getting drenched under the water, "She's ours. _Ours_."

Hermione shut off the water and stepped out the shower. Draco had helped her dry off and her change into her pyjamas, when she was done, "Feel better?" He asked.

"Much," she said and he helped her settled back into bed, exhaustion finally beginning to creep in. Draco insisted that she get some rest; that she deserved to rest after what she'd just been through.

She fought the weariness spreading through her, her heavy eyes however were making it hard to resist; she simply wanted to watch her newborn daughter, not wanting to miss a thing.

"I promise to make note of any first words or steps she may take." He told her.

"Smart arse," Hermione said, stifling a yawn. She had watched through sleepy eyes as Draco lowered himself into the armchair beside the bed, hugging his daughter to his chest and kissing the top of her head.

She finally fell asleep listening to Draco murmur to his daughter, "Hey little miss. Your mummy's really tired right now, but just so you know she's pretty awesome. She's smart, and funny and stunningly beautiful and I hope you turn out just like her."

* * *

Hermione's eyes fluttered open, the blinds in the room had been drawn leaving the room dim and making it easier to wake fully.

She looked at the clock, _3pm_ it read, and she sighed. Three hours wasn't much, but the simple pleasure of sleeping on her belly for the first time in months was not to be overlooked. She winced slightly as she moved to adjust her position, glancing to her left, and she couldn't help but smile. Draco was reclined in the armchair beside her bed, snoring lightly with their daughter curled against his chest, her tiny face pressed into his neck. She reached for her phone and snapped a photo, just one more of what seemed like a thousand that they had already taken. But this one was already by far her favourite.

There was a quiet knock at the door, and it opened slightly. Hermione pressed her finger to her lips in a _shh_ gesture and then motioned for Narcissa to come in. She pointed at Draco, and Narcissa gasped at the sight before her; her son and her granddaughter.

"Oh, my darling Hermione," Narcissa said quietly, her eyes glassed over with tears. She pulled Hermione into a hug, telling her how amazing she was and kissing her cheek, "How are you feeling?"

"Good," Hermione told her, "A little tired, but good."

"Have you had any sleep?" Narcissa looked concerned.

"A couple of hours," Hermione said, "It's kind of strange not being constantly kicked and prodded from the inside. It was nice to sleep on my stomach though."

Narcissa laughed, "The simple pleasures, huh?" and Hermione nodded, "How is she?"

Hermione smile widened, "She's perfectly healthy. She hasn't made so much as a murmur for a couple of hours, unless she'd hungry, this is how's she's been. And I think she pretty content with her father."

Narcissa looked at Draco, "Look at him. He looks perfectly at home."

"He does," Hermione agreed, "And it looks like I might have to fight for time with her."

Draco's eyes flickered open and went straight to the pink bundle laying on his chest. He kissed her head and then looked up, "Mother, how long have you been here?"

"Just a few minutes," Narcissa was beaming at him, "How are you?"

Draco glanced at Hermione, "I'm fairly certain I'm not allowed to answer that, considering Hermione just pushed a baby out of her body."

They both laughed, "It's okay Draco, I'm fine. You, however, look like crap. Have you had any length of sleep, or have you just been watching her?"

Draco looked sheepishly at her, "I maybe had a few minutes. But it's kind of hard to take your eyes off her." He carefully stood from the chair, his large hands holding his daughter to his chest, and crossed the room to Narcissa.

"Oh, my darling," Narcissa said, pulling Draco into a hug as best she could, telling him how proud she was of him.

Draco shifted the baby so Narcissa could see her. She sucked in a breath, seeing her granddaughter for the first time, "Oh, she's perfect."

"We think so." Draco said,

"Introduce you daughter to her grandmother," Hermione told him.

"Mother, I'd like you to meet your granddaughter," he looked at Hermione, who was smiling at him, "This is Stella Narcissa Malfoy."

The naming of their firstborn had been a contentious issue. Draco had wanted to follow the tradition of his family by naming his children after constellations, but Hermione had somewhat resisted. They had already chosen _Scorpius_ for a boy, but when they discovered they were having a girl, she had put her foot down. She didn't want to upset him, and was more than happy to follow the Malfoy tradition, but she didn't like any of the options.

A month before, Draco had approached her cautiously, and announced he may have come up with a solution – not exactly a constellation, but kind of related.

 _"_ _Stella," he had told her._

 _"_ _Stellar, meaning 'of the stars,'"_ _Hermione had asked and he had nodded._

 _"_ _Stella" He had repeated, "But no 'R'" And Hermione had agreed._

Narcissa's hand flew to her mouth, "Oh my darlings, thank you." She pulled Hermione into a hug, "Thank you my beautiful, sweet girl."

"It's the perfect name for her." Hermione said returning the hug.

"Mother?" Draco said, "Do you want to hold her?"

"Of course I do!" She looked at him as if he'd just asked the most stupid thing she'd ever heard, and reached out as Draco handed his daughter to her, "Hello my precious girl."

Draco sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing his hand along Hermione's calf. He looked over his shoulder, grinning at her. Throughout Hermione's pregnancy, Draco had often wondered how his mother would react when the baby arrived. She had always been the parent that showed him compassion and loved him unconditionally. She had been the one who read to him as a child, hugged him and kissed him good night, but even taking this into account, her reaction still surprised him. The love and complete adoration on her face made his heart swell.

Narcissa looked at them both, tears in her eyes, "I couldn't ask for a more beautiful grandchild. Thank you both."

"You're welcome mother, anytime." Draco said with a smile.

Hermione choked out a cough, "Excuse me. Anytime?"

Narcissa laughed, "I'm in no hurry for another one, darling. I don't think Hermione is either!"

"No, no! I didn't mean...ah, crap!" Draco's face flushed red.

Hermione and Narcissa both laughed, "It's okay, I know what you meant," Hermione sat up and kissed him. She looked at Narcissa, "I think I know why you only had one."

Narcissa laughed and pinched her sons' cheek, "Ah, but this beautiful face? It was worth all that pain."

"Mother, really?" Draco said, wincing away.

"Yes, really. You'll always be beautiful to me. And I assure you you'll be exactly the same with this one."

There was another knock at the door, indicating Harry and Ginny had arrived, three month old James was sleeping soundly in his stroller.

"Oh, wow! You two made a beautiful baby!" Ginny gushed. She wrapped her arm around Narcissa's shoulders, "How are you grandma!?"

Narcissa's face broke into an ear to ear smile, "Floating." She said.

Harry had gone straight to Hermione, wrapping his arms around her tightly, "Congratulations," he whispered into her ear, "I'm glad you two found each other."

Hermione, hugged him back, her eyes filled with tears, "Thank you Harry, so am I."

"Well, if those two get to hug like that..." Ginny wrapped her arms around Draco's neck, "Congrats Dad, she's perfect."

"Thanks Gin, we're pretty impressed ourselves."

"Harry?" Narcissa said smiling at him, "Would you like to meet her?" Harry and Narcissa shared a bond that was at first very awkward; Narcissa had saved Harry's life in the Forbidden Forest, telling the dark lord he was dead and Harry had saved Narcissa from a lengthy stint in Azkaban, telling the members of the Wizengamot as such, and insisting that she be cleared of all dealings with the death eaters. The awkwardness had disappeared over time, and they had become firm friends. And Narcissa was as much in love with baby James as she now was with her own granddaughter.

Harry cradled the tiny girl against his chest, "Hey there..." He looked at Hermione and Draco.

"Stella," Hermione told him, "Stella Narcissa Malfoy."

"Hey there Stella, it's so good to meet you. I'm your uncle Harry and this is your aunt Ginny." Ginny was hovering over Harry's shoulder.

"Hi there baby girl." She said kissing the top of her head, "You're going to hear this a lot, but you're beautiful." Ginny left Harry with the baby, and climbed up onto the bed with Hermione, leaning back on the pillows to sit together with her. She linked her arm through Hermione's, who leaned her head on Ginny's shoulder, "How're you feeling?"

"Exhausted," Hermione said, "Ecstatic, scared to death. "

"Amazing feeling, huh?"

Hermione nodded, watching as Draco, Harry and Narcissa fussed over her daughter.

"Did you ever think you'd see this?" Ginny asked.

"See what?"

"The day that you'd be engaged Draco Malfoy, have a baby with him and have his mother completely in love with you?" Ginny bumped her shoulder, "Not to mention Draco Malfoy showing off his newborn daughter to his friend Harry Potter."

Hermione felt the laughter bubble up in her chest, "No, not once did I ever imagine this."

Draco turned to look at the two friends curled up together and laughing. He smiled at Hermione and winked, "Can you let us in on the joke?"

"Nope!" The both said, and were laughing again.

Draco looked at Harry and shook his head, "Mental, the pair of them."

Narcissa glanced at the two girls on the bed, and then back to Draco and Harry, realising what they were laughing at. Her mouth twitched, "Draco Malfoy is showing off his and Hermione Grangers baby daughter to Harry Potter." She crossed over to the bed, and kissed Hermione on the head, "I never imagined it either!" And she was laughing with them.

Hermione clasped her hand, "I'm happy it happened though. Beyond happy."

Narcissa smiled at her, "Me too, my darling, me too."

* * *

 **A/N: Again, thanks for reading, the response has been amazing. Your feedback (positive and negative) has been great, and is much appreciated.**


	14. Chapter 14

"Mummy!" The sweet little voice penetrated Hermione's brain and pulled her from her sleep.

"Mummy, wake up!" Hermione kept her eyes shut, pretending to sleep. She felt a set of tiny lips on her cheek, and the sudden blast of a raspberry being blown on her face followed by an adorable giggle and she had to bite the inside of her cheek to stop from laughing.

She didn't move, instead she let out a loud snore, still pretending to be asleep, seeing how far this would go.

"Mummy, are you awake?"

It was the lifting of her eye lid that did it. "Scorpius Malfoy!" she said in a growly voice, "If you wake your mummy up, the tickle monster will get you!" She grabbed him, pulling him close and tickled his ribs. He squealed with laughter and squirmed, trying to get away.

"No mummy," he said between laughs, "Stop!"

"I'm not mummy, I'm the tickle monster." She told him in a gruff voice.

"Stop tickle monster!" he laughed.

Hermione took pity on her three year old son, and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly, blowing her own raspberry on his little cheek, making him giggle.

He pulled his head back and put his hands on her cheeks, "Are you awake now mummy?"

"I am," she told him, "Are _you_ awake Scorpius?" He opened his eyes as wide as he could and Hermione laughed, "I think you are."

She took in the cherubic blonde laying beside her, brushing his messy hair from his eyes, she was still in awe that he was hers. He was an exact replica of his father, the blue-grey swirls of his eyes and the blonde hair, which to Hermione's glee was curly and was the one aspect of this child that was her. He was still dressed in his favourite pyjamas, emerald green and covered with tiny dragons, a gift from his grandmother. She glanced at the clock beside her bed _, 6.45am_ it read. She sighed, she loved her son with all her being, she just wished he understood that there was no need to be up and about so early.

"Where's daddy?" she asked him.

"Breakfast." He told her, just as Draco called out for him.

"He's in here Daddy," Stella yelled and performed a perfect running leap onto the bed. Her pyjama's were pink and had fairies all over them, "Good morning mummy." She curled around Hermione's back, almost choking her as she hugged her arms around her neck.

"Good morning Miss," Hermione said kissing her daughters hand, "Is everyone awake?"

"Hey! Don't wake...shit, sorry." Draco was in the doorway. One year old Leo was balanced in the crook of his arm, his little legs kicking excitedly at the antics of his older siblings. Draco lifted his arm to scratch the back of his head, his t-shirt riding up and exposing the 'vee' of his hips, her stomach fluttered at the sight.

It still amused Hermione to no end that she got to see him like this; dressed in baggy pyjama bottoms (that, of course, sat perfectly on his hips) and the ragged Slytherin Quiddich t-shirt that they still fought over, his hair a rumpled mess. In public he was impeccable, not a hair out of place and she really didn't think anyone would believe he looked like this at home.

But he was like this; messy and scruffy, making breakfast for her and their children. He read to his book-loving daughter, using crazy voices, acting out every character because it pleased Stella to no end. He wrestled on the floor with his eldest son, the two loudly yelling and chasing each other all over the house. And, as with the older children, Hermione felt like she was just here to feed baby Leo, as Draco did most of the work. Not that she was complaining, she loved that he was a hands on dad.

"Daddy said shit." Scorpius told Hermione, his little eyes wide. Stella giggled and Hermione squeezed her arm to make her stop.

"He did," Hermione agreed biting her lip and shooting Draco a look that said _don't laugh_ , "And what do we tell daddy when he says naughty words?"

Scorpius frowned, and pointed at Draco, "Don't say _shit,_ daddy."

"No, baby, we tell him _that's naughty_ and he mustn't say it again," Hermione explained.

"Don't say shit daddy, that's naughty," Scorpius proudly corrected himself, and this time Stella laughed loudly.

"You said it too, Scorp!" She giggled, "You're not allowed to."

Draco choked back a laugh, "I'm sorry, Scorp. Maybe I should be punished." He winked at Hermione, who rolled her eyes at him. He crossed the room and leaned down to kiss the top of his son's head. He smiled at the beautiful creature that was in his bed and kissed her good morning.

"Sorry," he told her, "I turned my back for a second, and he was gone."

"Yeah, he does that," Hermione said, "But who doesn't love waking up to this face." She plastered kisses all over her son's face as he giggled and his little arms pushed at her. He wriggled away from her and jumped off the bed. Stella clambered over Hermione, taking his place next to her, and snuggling in.

"Breakfast daddy," he looked at Draco.

"Well, we were making breakfast for mummy and you ran off," Draco explained, "I can't make breakfast without help."

Scorpius looked at Hermione, his face crestfallen, "Sorry mummy."

"That's okay, my little dragon," she said in a soothing voice, "Maybe we can all make breakfast together."

"Dragon!" Scorpius yelled, throwing his head back and howling – his version of a dragon – and spread his arms and ran out the door. Hermione laughed at her departing son. Even though he'd been named after the Scorpius constellation, his grandmother had named him Little Dragon on the day of his birth, she had been completely astounded at just how much like Draco he'd looked. And the name had stuck.

"Sorry," Draco sighed, "So much for a sleep in. I tried to keep him out there."

She kissed the top of her daughters head, "Well, it's our own fault really. We did decide to have children."

"An excellent decision, I would say." Draco kissed Stella's head. As much as Scorpius was like him, Stella was Hermione's clone, in every way. She looked exactly like her, with her chestnut curls and dark hazel eyes, and she was already smart and studious at only five years old. The two were quite often found curled together in the library, reading so intently, that they both wore identical creases in their brows.

"Do you want me to take him?" Hermione asked, smiling up at her baby son and tickling his tiny foot.

Scorpius came running back in, his arms still out – 'flying' he told them - and slammed into Draco's legs, "Breakfast daddy! Come on."

Draco looked down at Hermione, "No, you ladies stay here; the men are going to make breakfast."

"You're going to make breakfast with a three year old and a one year old?" Draco nodded and she laughed, "Good luck with that!"

"I said breakfast, I didn't say a good breakfast," Draco winked at her and scruffed his sons hair, "Breakfast, Dragon boy, let's go!"

"It's gonna be a mess, isn't it?" Stella asked, rolling over to face Hermione.

"I think you're right," Hermione said, tapping her daughter's nose, "But Daddy makes the best breakfasts, so it'll be worth it."

"Mummy?" Stella's brow was furrowed. It was her _worry face,_ the exact same face that Hermione made when she was trying to figure out something.

"That's a very serious face," Hermione said, "What's worrying you?"

"Uncle Blaise and Uncle Graham got married," it was a statement more so than a question and Hermione didn't respond, she knew there was more to come, she just wasn't sure what. The children had never questioned their _Uncles_ , they just accepted that they were together. In fact, Stella adored them both and had done since she was tiny. And the two men adored her right back. The pair had finally married a month ago, and Stella had been in the wedding, along with Pansy and Ron's daughter Sage, the two little girls making up the entire wedding party, and Stella had been obsessed ever since.

"And they love each other very much," Stella continued, "And you and Daddy love each other very much. But you and Daddy aren't married."

"No, we're not." Hermione told her. Stella had never questioned why she and Draco weren't married, she just knew that they weren't, but with her new obsession with weddings and marriage, Hermione knew it was bound to come up sooner or later. "But you're right; we do love each other very much."

"Maybe you could get married," Stella suggested excitedly, "Daddy could ask you and you could marry him!"

Hermione laughed, "Well, actually Daddy did ask me to marry him."

Stella's eyes went wide with alarm, "Did you say no?'

"See this?" Hermione held up her left hand, showing Stella the ring that Draco had given her, "This means that Daddy asked me to marry him, and that I said yes. But we didn't get married straight away because you were already growing in my tummy."

"Oh," Stella said with a frown, her finger rubbing over Hermione's engagement ring, "This is very beautiful."

"It is," Hermione agreed, "Daddy did a very good job choosing it."

"And then you couldn't get married because Scorp was in your tummy and then Leo?"

"That's right," Hermione told her, "Every time we thought we should get married, another baby started growing."

The surprise of her first pregnancy and its subsequent delaying of their wedding had become somewhat of an omen. After Stella's birth, they'd waited a year before deciding to start on wedding plans, but barely two months into said plans and Hermione was surprised again. Another pregnancy put their plans on hold, and a month before Stella's second birthday, Scorpius Draco joined their family.

And then, much to the amusement of their family and friends ** _,_** plans were put on hold yet again and Leo Harry arrived on Hermione's birthday; the perfect gift. She had refused to talk wedding plans after Leo's birth, telling Draco that if he wanted to have sex with her ever again, he would not mention the word wedding; three children were more than enough. So they'd decided that they didn't actually need to make it official. Instead, she bought him his own 'engagement' ring, and they became unofficially married.

"So Daddy's ring means the same?" Stella asked.

"It does," Hermione replied, "It means that I love Daddy, and he loves me, and we will love each other forever."

"Hmm," Stella hummed and placed her little hands on Hermione's cheeks, a serious look on her face, "I think you should marry Daddy."

* * *

"So, I had an interesting conversation with our daughter this morning," Hermione said as they dressed.

It was New Years Eve, Draco had surprised her, asking Narcissa to watch the children, and organising dinner for them and their friends to celebrate; it had been eleven years since their very first one together.

"Yeah?" Draco said, buttoning his shirt, "What was that?"

"She wanted to know why we aren't married."

Draco paused, "She's never asked before. What did you tell her?"

"The truth," Hermione said with a shrug, "I told her that every time that we talked about a wedding, a baby started growing in mummy's tummy, and we had to wait."

Draco snorted, "And did that lead to the whole _how did the baby get there_ conversation?"

"Surprisingly no," Hermione grimaced, her daughter, no matter how inquisitive she was, was way too young for _that_ discussion, "I think that's a conversation for her daddy to have with her."

Draco shot her a look that said _yeah, right,_

 _"_ What?' Hermione asked, "What if she does ask you and not me?'

"I'll tell her to talk to you." He said with a sly grin, "Besides, she's only five, I'm sure that conversation is a while off yet."

"Let's hope," Hermione said with a grimace, "Here, help me." She handed him the fine platinum chain that he had given her for Christmas. It held a small diamond with three smaller stones – a Peridot, a Ruby and a Sapphire – representing each of their children's birthstones.

She turned her back to him and Draco looped it around her neck, fastening it and kissing her shoulder. He trailed his hand down the open back of her dress, tracing her spine. Hermione sighed and leaned back into him, "How about we forget about tonight and just stay here?" He suggested pressing his lips gently to her neck.

"That sounds tempting," she murmured, "But unfortunately, since you organized this evening's festivities, we really have to go."

Draco sighed loudly, "Unfortunately I did."

Hermione turned to face him, "It really is too bad," she said smoothing the lapels of his dinner jacket, "You know how I love you dressed like this."

Draco groaned, "Next year, we're staying home."

Hermione laughed "Come on, we have children to say good night to."

Leo, having only recently found his feet, was side stepping along the sofa using the edge for support, gurgling happily to himself, when they descended the stairs. Scorpius was pushing a replica version of the Hogwarts express across the living room floor, telling the tiny passengers that they were about to crash so they should hold on tight, before slamming the train into the leg of the coffee table. Stella, of course, corrected him, stating that the train would never crash because it was magic.

"Are you sure you'll be okay with them?" Hermione asked Narcissa, who was watching all three of them with adoration.

"They will be perfect angels," Narcissa told her.

Stella jumped up, a huge smile on her face, "You look like a princess Mummy,"

Hermione's hair was pulled up into an elegant messy bun, with tendrils of curls falling around her face. The dark blue sleeveless satin dress she wore had deep v neckline and hugged her figure like a glove, showing off every curve, while the high-low skirt fell from the sash tied at her waist and showed off her shapely legs.

"Thank you Stella," she squatted down in front of her daughter, and kissed her cheek, "You promise to be good for Grandma?"

"I promise," Stella smiled, "Where are you going?"

"Well, I don't know, Daddy says it's a surprise." Hermione looked up at Draco, who simply smiled back at her, "See, he won't tell me."

Stella looked at Draco and giggled, "Mummy hates surprises," she told Draco.

"I know she does," Draco said, "And do you know what? That makes it even more fun."

"Are we coming?" Scorpius asked.

"No darling, you're staying here with me." Narcissa told him, glancing at Draco. Hermione wondered at the shared look, but was halted from asking by her son.

"But when are we going?" his little face looked confused.

"Not tonight Scorp," Draco said, "It's just mummy and me tonight. We'll take you out another night, okay?"

Scorpius frowned, "Okay." He finally said.

"Come on Scorp," Stella said grabbing his hand and pulling him away.

Hermione frowned after them, "What was that about?"

"Who knows?" Draco shrugged, "Maybe he's jealous that I get to go out with a princess."

Hermione rolled her eyes, "Yes, I'm sure that's it." She leaned down to kiss the top of Leo's head, "Be good for Grandma,"

"They'll be fine," Narcissa reassured her, "Now go, enjoy your night."

* * *

Hermione's jaw was clenched, she hated to be late, and now they were. Blaise and Graham had been almost half an hour late to arrive at Harry and Ginny's – the agreed upon meeting point – and she was clearly annoyed. Draco had reassured her that he had called the restaurant and it was perfectly okay that they would be late. He winked at her and told that since he was paying big dollars for the occasion, the restaurant had better hold the reservation.

She narrowed her eyes at him, "Where exactly are we going?"

"All in good time, my love," Draco said, "Patience is not your strong suit, but believe me, I guarantee you'll love where we're going." He pulled her close and kissed her, running his hand across the smooth skin on her back, causing her to shiver, and drawing a collective groan from the group.

"Seriously you two?" Pansy rolled her eyes, "It's been eleven years and we still have to put up with this sappy shit?"

"Just wait until we're eighty," Draco said, "Then you'll be really grossed out."

"Ewww," Ginny scrunched up her face, "Don't even say that."

Hermione gasped when they finally arrived at the apparition point outside their destination. Blaise and Graham had decided to diversify their cafe business and had expanded into exclusive restaurants – exclusive, that was, to the magical community. The cafe's remained muggle friendly, but they had decided that their restaurants would be for the magical community only. For their most recent edition they had purchased an old, run-down Library and had spent the previous year renovating it and, much to Hermione's chagrin, they had refused to divulge when it would be ready, but obviously Draco had been privy to such information.

Candles that seemed to have the aura of starlight floated in the air along the cobblestone path that led to the entrance. _Chapter_ a subtle sign read, and Hermione was struck by just how perfect a name it was.

Draco took her hand, halting her, while the others continued ahead, "Hey," he said softly, "Sorry I couldn't tell you, the guys swore me to secrecy. I thought it would be the perfect surprise."

"It's more than perfect. Thank you." Hermione gave him a lopsided smile, "So this is the grand opening then?"

"No," Draco said simply, "That's still two weeks away. This is just the guys giving us an advanced look, and dinner is just an added bonus."

"What are you up to Malfoy?" Hermione steeled him with a glare.

He held out his arm, "Nothing. It's just a simple dinner with friends."

"A likely story," Hermione said, "You're up to something."

She looped her arm through his, and he led her to the large eighteenth century baroque styled doors. The heavy wooden arched doors were inlayed with wrought iron, giving them a stained glass look, and when Draco led her through them, her breath was taken away. The large anteroom was lined with old book cases, which Hermione assumed, were from the original interior. Sat on those book shelves were hundreds of old books, that her hands itched to hold. She stepped up to one shelf, running her hand slowly across the spines of the editions that it held.

"Where did they get these?" she was almost breathless.

Draco laughed, "You can come back another time and spend hours here. But we're already late."

"Funny," she said turning to face him, "I thought the owners were perfectly fine with us being late."

He kissed her cheek, "And they are. But let's not keep them waiting any longer." He escorted her through the next set of doors, and she stopped short.

"What..?" she whispered.

"Surprise," Draco whispered back.

Soft piano music was playing, and at least a thousand candles floated several meters above their heads. She barely noticed the interior of the building, since there were at least fifty faces all smiling back at her, all of which she recognised. And Narcissa was front and centre, with their three children.

She looked at Draco, speechless.

"There's a moratorium on how long there is between asking someone to marry you and actually marrying them," Draco explained, "So we have to get married tonight, or we have to start again."

Hermione's heart beat was racing, this was the absolute last thing she had ever expected. She turned to Draco, "How did you do this?"

"It's much easier than you would think to keep a secret from you," Draco said, his expression held some trepidation, "You're not cross?"

She smiled, stepping closer to him and curled her arms around his neck and kissed him full on the mouth. A cacophony of wolf whistles and cheers went up from their family and friends.

"Mummy!" Stella cried, running towards them, "I told you that you should marry Daddy!"

"You did tell me," Hermione lifted her daughter into her arms, "Did you know about Daddy's surprise?"

Stella giggled, "He told me it was a secret and I mustn't tell you."

"You did a very good job," Hermione praised her, "I might need you to help me. Do you think you could hold my hand while Daddy and I get married?"

Stella's eyes went wide and she nodded eagerly, "Just like Uncle Blaise?"

Hermione kissed her cheek, "That's right, just like Uncle Blaise."

* * *

Stella stood next to Hermione, holding her hand, while Scorpius hugged Draco's leg. Stanley Shacklebolt, the Minister of Magic himself was officiating the ceremony. He had been only too pleased to help when Draco had approached him.

She looked at Stanley, who was beaming at them both. "Ready?" He asked, and they both nodded.

Stanley welcomed everyone, asking that Narcissa and Harry to give their blessing to the union, and then asked for the pairs vows.

Draco took a deep breath and squeezed her hand, "I love you. It's that simple. I love you and I have loved you for so long that you are in my soul, in my bones and you are in my heart. You are a part of me, and you have taught me exactly how love should be. From the moment our paths crossed, you challenged me, frustrated me, captivated me and improved me in a way no other person has," He reached down and touched his sons' head, "You have given me more than I could ever ask for and more than I ever thought I deserved and I promise to give you the best of myself in return. I promise to be true to you, to support and encourage you. I promise to frustrate and challenge you. But most of all, I promise to love you, with all that I am."

Hermione smiled, she'd written her vows five years ago, knowing exactly what she wanted to say to him when this moment finally arrived. She lifted her hand to brush her thumb across his cheek, "I..." she started but a sudden lump had formed in her throat. She closed her eyes, she was about to marry him, to commit herself to him for the rest of her life, and even though it was exactly what she wanted, it was all so overwhelming. She felt his hand on her cheek, and she opened her eyes to find him smiling at her.

"Okay?" he asked quietly, and she nodded.

She breathed deeply reigning in her composure, before starting again, "I love you more than I ever thought possible. You are my everything. You are the fire that burns in my soul. You are the magic of my days and you are the mystery and wonder of my life. I have seen the best and worst of you, I have experienced your joy and your heartache and I understand who you are. You provide a safe place for me," she looked at her children, "For us. You are our home, and there is no place I am more content than when you're close. I promise to be honest and patient. I promise to provoke and disagree with you. And I promise to love you completely and forever."

Stanley asked Blaise for the rings, "These rings are a symbol of unity in which your two lives are now joined in one unbroken circle. Wherever you go, you will always return to each other." They exchanged rings before Stanley finished the ceremony with _I now pronounce you husband and wife_.

The two stood grinning at each other like twelve year olds, before Draco pulled her to him and kissed her and a another cheer went up from their family and friends.

Draco pressed his forehead to hers, "I love you."

"I love you too." Hermione told him.

* * *

"Sorry to interrupt ladies," Draco said from behind her. She was standing at the bar with Ginny, Pansy, and George's wife Angelina and Bill's wife Fleur. "Do you think I could dance with the most beautiful woman in the room?"

"Of course you can," Ginny said taking his outstretched hand and he rolled his eyes.

Hermione turned to face him, "Be careful there, rumour has it that your wife is the jealous type, she may not appreciate you dancing with another woman."

"Oh shit Draco, she is," Pansy said, "She's a complete psycho. Run, man, run!"

"I'll make a deal with you Pans," Hermione offered, "You cut out the sarcasm, and we'll cut out the sappy shit."

Pansy looked to mull it over for a few seconds, "Nope, I'm just going to have to put up with the sappy shit until I'm old and senile."

Draco laughed, and took Hermione's hand, leading her away from the bar. He stopped in the centre of the dance floor, holding their linked hands up and placing his other hand gently on her hip. Hermione smiled and rested her free hand on his shoulder. An oddly familiar piece of music began playing, and she frowned.

"I never got to dance with you at the Yule Ball all those years ago," he whispered and he side-stepped, moving them easily across the floor.

"You're good at this," Hermione told him.

"Ah, yes. It's the pure-blood instinct. We're naturally good at everything." Hermione laughed, and Draco pulled her closer, his hand sliding to her lower back.

Narcissa joined them on the floor, stepping out with the new man in her life, Christophe. She had filed for divorce from Lucius several years back, and things had gotten slightly heated between her and Draco when she had first begun to see him. Draco was loathe to admit it, but he had been jealous that his mothers attention had turned to someone else. However at Hermione's insistence, he had swallowed his pride and gotten to know him. And in doing so, he had discovered he had more in common with Christophe than he thought.

Christophe had been a Herbologist at St Lucs – the wizarding Hospital in Paris - before moving to London to take up position in The Ministry's Rare Plants and Herbs department. And Draco was now more than pleased for his mother, seeing just how happy that he had made her.

Draco pressed his forehead against hers, as he whispered, "Thank you."

"For what?" Hermione asked.

"For everything." He said, and nodded towards their children, "For them."

Leo was curled in Molly's arms, sleeping, as it were like a baby. She was rocking him gently, in that soothing way that only grandmother's seemed to possess. Scorpius, who had been chasing Albus around the room all night, was now passed out on Grahams' shoulder, his thumb shoved in his mouth. And Hermione laughed as Stella dragged Blaise out on to the dance floor to join them, not wanting to miss out on even one moment with her newly married parents. Blaise swept her up, one arm wrapping around her legs, the other holding her hand. Stella mimicked Hermione and put her other hand on Blaise's shoulder, and he began to move around the dance floor with a giggling Stella.

Soon the dance floor was full, their family and friends surrounding them. Blaise came sailing past them, Stella still laughing, "Look at me Daddy!" she squealed, and they were both gone again.

Draco smiled down at Hermione, he brushed an errant lock of hair from her face and kissed her softly, "Thank you."

* * *

Hermione was cradling a sleeping Leo, he had gotten fussy and no matter how much everyone had tried to get him to settle, he would only calm in Hermione's arms. She watched as Draco spoke with Christophe and Blaise, smiling at how comfortable he seemed to now be with his mother's boyfriend. She felt an arm slip around her shoulders and turned to see Ginny following her eye line.

"I can see that brain of yours ticking over," Ginny said in a hushed voice, not wanting to wake the sleeping baby, "What exactly are you thinking?"

Hermione bit her lip then looked at Ginny, her voice was low when she said, "I'm thinking I'd like to rip his clothes off and lick every inch of his skin."

"Really!?" Ginny was surprised at her friend, she rarely said things like that, "Well, give me that baby and go for it."

Hermione laughed, "You're getting more pervy than Pansy."

"Well you never say things like that. How did you expect me to react?" Ginny said squeezing her shoulders, "You look happy, my friend."

"I _am_ happy." Hermione sighed and looked down at her baby son, "Sublimely happy. I just can't believe he did this."

Draco glanced over, a smile spreading across his face. He winked at her, his gaze lingering for a few seconds before returning to the conversation with the two other men.

"If you do lick every inch of his skin, I want to hear about it!" Ginny laughed.

"Alas," Hermione sighed, "I'm sure it won't happen. Not with three children in the house."

Ginny laughed, "Don't let that stop you. Send them to grandmas. Use a silencing charm. Do whatever it takes."

"What are you two giggling about?" Narcissa said, coming to stand beside the two of them.

"Oh, nothing really," Ginny said in an aloof tone, "Just what your daughter-in-law is planning on doing to your son tonight."

Hermione's face flushed pink, "Ginny! Seriously?!"

Narcissa laughed, "Ooh, darling, I hope it's naughty!" Ginny threw her head back and laughed while Hermione squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head, "No need to be embarrassed, I could tell you stories about Christophe that would make your hair curl." Both girls' eyes went wide, staring at Narcissa.

"What?" She asked with a shrug.

"Maybe you should join our girls' nights," Ginny said, slightly in awe of Narcissa, "We might learn something."

"Thank you for helping him with this," Hermione said, "It was absolutely perfect."

"I did very little," Narcissa informed her, "He did it all himself."

"Really?" Hermione and they both nodded.

Narcissa looked adoringly at her sleeping grandson, "Did you want me to try to take him?"

"I don't want to disturb him, I'm scared he'll wake up," Hermione grimaced, "It might be time to get him home anyway." She crossed the room, reaching for Draco's arm, "Hey, we have three passed out children; we probably need to take them home."

He brushed his hand over Leo's head, and agreed, "Where are-" He turned to scan the room. Christophe was holding a sleeping Scorpius and Blaise still had Stella, "Okay, but we have really should say goodbye first." Hermione nodded and stepped away from him, to say her goodbyes.

Draco left Harry and Ginny to last, sure that Harry would give him the traditional _look after my girl_ speech, but he was wrong.

"She loves you Draco." Harry said, then added with a smirk, "I didn't think it possible, and I don't understand why, but she does."

"And we don't have to threaten you to look after her," Ginny grinned at him, "She's quite capable of that herself."

Draco laughed and nodded in agreement, "She certainly is."

"Just remember, we're always here for you." Harry said clapping him on the shoulder, "When she treats you badly, or makes you cry, or if everything just gets too much, we're here."

"Fucking smart arse," Draco laughed.

Draco gathered his grumbling daughter from Blaise, thanking his friend for everything. He turned to his wife, "Ready?" he asked.

She nodded, "More than ready. Take me home, husband."

Draco grinned, "Happy to oblige, wife."

* * *

After helping with the children, Narcissa offered to stay the night to give them at least a small sleep-in the following morning, but they assured her they would be fine. After bidding her and Christophe good night, Draco pulled Hermione into his arms and apparated them into the bedroom, only to find it had been completely transformed.

At least a hundred roses had been placed in vases which surrounded the bed; their usual white comforter and pillows had been replaced with black satin sheets, and rose petals had been scattered across them. A pewter ice bucket held a bottle of champagne, with two crystal glasses laid next to it.

Draco picked the bottle up and his eyes went wide, "Whoa." He breathed.

"What is it?" Hermione asked, placing her hand over his.

"Krug Clos d'Ambonnay, nineteen ninety-five," Draco said.

Hermione's own eyes went wide. It had taken her some time to adjust to being surrounded by the Malfoy fortune. The sale of her parents' house at the end of the war had allowed her to look forward to a reasonably comfortable, independent future, but her wealth was a mere drop in the ocean compared with Draco's. And oddly enough, it had been the one thing that had never caused an issue for them.

But even Hermione knew that this was an expensive bottle of Champagne; a very expensive bottle of Champagne.

"Who...?" Hermione picked up the envelope that was leaning against the ice bucket, she opened it and laughed, "From Blaise... _Some Dutch courage to assist with any nerves you may have on your first night together._ " Hermione read, shaking her head and laughing, "He's an idiot!"

Draco uncorked the bottle, poured two glasses and handed one to her. She inhaled in the aroma, and a small moan left her mouth.

"And you haven't even tasted it yet," Draco said.

She clinked her glass to his, "Husband."

Draco grinned, "Wife."

The bottle of champagne finished, a slightly tipsy Hermione began working the buttons on his shirt, tugging the hem from his pants, shoving it down his arms. She leaned in and pressed her lips to his chest, "I told Ginny I wanted to lick every inch of your skin tonight."

"Really?" He asked not even trying to hide the smirk on his face, "I thought you didn't share with the girls."

Hermione dragged her teeth over her bottom lip, her eyes glancing up at him seductively, "Well I was watching you and, I don't know, something just came over me. You weren't Draco anymore, you were my husband, and I've never slept with a married man."

Draco threw his head back and laughed, "I would hope not!"

She pressed her mouth to his exposed throat, stopping his laughter instantly. He smirked at her and pulled her towards the bed, tugging on the tie at her waist, letting the smooth satin of her dress slide down her skin and he sucked in a breath, "That's all you were wearing under that?"

"I had my own surprise for you tonight," She sucked in her bottom lip, "Do you like it?"

"Fuck!" He whispered, staring at his near naked wife, although considering what she was wearing, she may as well have been naked. The thong that sat on her hips was the smallest scrap of lace he'd ever seen in his life, barely covering her slit. She kicked her shoes off and hooked her thumbs through the tiny strings attached to the barely there lace, and pushed it down her legs. She held it up between her thumb and forefinger, winking at him and then tossed it at his feet. "Fuck!" He repeated, kicking his own shoes off and fumbling with button on his pants.

"Need some help there?" Hermione asked in a husky voice, stepping forward and slipping the button free. She tugged at his zipper, pushing his trousers and boxers to the floor. Draco leaned down and kissed her shoulder, running his hands across her breasts, her hips, sliding back to grip her arse.

"Draco?" Hermione sighed pushing gently at his chest,

"Hm-mm" He murmured, his lips still moving across her skin.

"I'm certain I said I wanted to lick every inch of _your_ skin."

Draco paused, pulling slowly back from her. A sly grin crossed his face as he turned them both and flopped back onto the bed, "Have at it." He told her.

Hermione crawled over him, "Really?" she asked, "It's our wedding night and you're telling me _have at it_?"

"What did you want me to say?" Draco asked, "Something deep and meaningful and profound?"

"I think it would be more appropriate." She replied.

He looked up at her, his gaze intense. He slid his hand along her thigh, over the curve of her hip and waist, moving up to cup her breast, "Your tits are perfect." He whispered.

Hermione burst out laughing, "Let me write that down. It was truly amazing."

Draco pulled her down to him, sucking and biting at the skin behind her ear. She yelped in surprise as he rolled them, "You married me." He whispered in her ear, "Hermione Granger married Draco Malfoy."

Hermione kissed his neck, her tongue sliding along his skin, "Hermione Granger married Draco Malfoy. And she intends to be married to him for a very long time."

"Married," he said quietly, pushing up in his elbows, hovering just above her and staring down.

"What are you thinking?" Hermione asked him, running her hand across his chest.

He gave her a lopsided smile, "I think I need you to pinch me, I'm still not sure this is real."

Hermione laughed and pinched his nipple, "Real enough?"

"Much better." He laughed and lowered himself to her, kissing her throat, her chest, the valley between her breasts. He swept his tongue over her nipple, causing her to shudder and groan, her hand flying to the back of his head holding him in place. He covered her peak with his mouth, sucking hard, his teeth biting down. She whined as he moved to the other and assaulted it in the same manner, pulling and tugging with his mouth until they were both red and swollen and Hermione was writhing beneath him.

His hand moved between her thighs, his finger rubbing against her clit. Her head thumped back against the pillows, a loud moan escaping her lips. He teased her mercilessly, rubbing and stoking just her clit with his fingers. She grabbed at his hand, attempting to shove it lower, but he grabbed her wrist, holding her tightly.

"Not yet," he growled, "Come with just your clit."

She ground her teeth as he increased the pressure, his teeth biting down on her already sensitive nipple. She cried out as her body tensed, her thighs clamping together as she came. He pulled her legs apart, and thrust two fingers inside her, her walls still spasming. He pushed his fingers deeper inside her, and she gasped, reaching down to grab his hand.

"Draco," she said in a breathless voice, "Stop."

He looked up at her, puzzled at her expression. Her head was thrown back, her eyes closed, a picture of sheer bliss.

"Hermione?" he whispered.

"I can feel it," she said, "Your wedding ring. Inside me."

He looked down at where his fingers disappeared into her body, and grinned, "How's it feel?"

She opened her eyes, and smiled at him, "Like you're mine."

He pulled his fingers out of her, and shifted over her, "I am yours." He raised himself on his arms, staring down at her, "Yours." He repeated and buried himself inside her.

Hermione moaned as he moved inside her, slow, deep thrusts that made her breath catch. He arched his hips, pulling almost all the way out of her, and sliding easily back in. He lowered himself to her, his chest meeting hers as he rocked into her. Her hands dug into his hips, as she met his thrusts, rocking back into him, his pelvis rubbing over her already swollen clit.

"You're so fucking perfect," Draco groaned into her ear, "I want to do this with you forever."

Hermione slid her hands to his arse, feeling his muscles contract as he thrust into her. She pulled him deeper into her, rising to meet his every push. "I'm yours," she moaned, "Forever."

* * *

Hermione awoke to find two extra bodies in the bed. Stella and Scorpius had crawled in at some stage, and she said a silent prayer that she and Draco had had the sense to cover up before nodding off. They rarely climbed in the bed during the night, usually they just bounded in first thing in the morning, but with the disrupted evening that they had had, Hermione wasn't surprised to find them both snuggled in between she and Draco. She heard a gurgling sound, followed by a tiny laugh on the baby monitor, and smiled. Leo was awake.

She smiled and climbed out of the bed, headed for Leo's room. _Might as well have all of them with us_ , she thought happily.

"Hello, my little lion" she cooed at him, "What a beautiful smiling face you have this morning." She picked him up from his crib and cradled him to her chest, rocking him gently and kissing the top of his head. He giggled and announced that she was _mum._

"That's right," she told him, pleased that her baby son was finally finding his voice. _Mum_ and _Dada_ were it at the moment, but she was delighted. She laid him down to change his nappy, blowing a raspberry on his belly and making him squirm. She picked him back up and made her way back to the bedroom, and was greeted with a quiet hooting sound coming from the bedroom window when she returned. She saw that Eos, Draco's owl, was sitting patiently on the small table on the terrace outside, hooting quietly and preening her feathers.

Hermione crossed to the French doors that opened onto the terrace. But before she could step out, Eos flew into the room, landing silently on the back of the armchair.

She took the rolled up newspaper and then groaned at the front page. She looked over at Draco, who was sleeping peacefully, sprawled on his back, his face a picture of serenity. She wouldn't wake him, not for this. He would be pissed off enough as it was.

There was a picture of the two of them with the children and Narcissa and Christophe leaving the restaurant, on top of yet another speculative story.

" _Spotted last night leaving London's newest Wizarding establishment, the yet to be opened,_ Chapter _, were the wizarding world's most private couple, Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy, who would appear to have wed in a secret ceremony. Our sources revealed that they were the last to arrive at a private event that Mr Malfoy had pre –arranged at the new restaurant, owned by the couple's friends Blaise Zabini and Graham Montague, and it has been confirmed that The Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklbolt was in attendance, not as a guest, but in an official capacity._

 _It is known that the pair became engaged some years ago, when Ms. Granger was first spotted wearing a ring while at lunch with her future mother in law Narcissa Black (the former Mrs Malfoy having returned to her maiden name following her much publicised divorce from Lucius Malfoy). Ms Granger and Mr. Malfoy had refused to make any comments at the time when questioned, however sources close to the pair had confirmed their engagement._

 _The couple was expected to marry quickly, when it was discovered just weeks after their engagement that Ms Granger was pregnant with their first child, but a wedding never occurred. Speculations regarding any wedding plans dissipated over the years as their three children were born, leaving the wizarding community in doubt as to whether the pair would ever actually tie the knot._

 _The two were photographed leaving the new restaurant just before midnight last night, with Mr Malfoy's mother, the couples' three children and Christophe Etienne, who is rumoured to be Ms. Black's new love interest. Many familiar faces began to leave after the couples' departure and all refused to make any comment regarding the evening's festivities, which can only lead one to believe that the rumour of a wedding isn't actually a rumour at all."_

Leo let out a high pitched squeal and clapped his hands as Eos flew out the open door, waking the three sleeping bodies in the bed.

"Hey," Draco mumbled lifting his head, seeing his children beside him, "This is not what I was expecting to wake up to."

"What happened to your bed?" Stella asked, her hair a delightful mess.

"Uncle Blaise changed it." Hermione told her, climbing back into the bed, Leo crawling over them all to get to Draco.

Stella scrunched her nose up, "I don't like it."

"I don't like it too," Scorpius said.

"We'll change it back later." Hermione said and handed Draco the newspaper.

"You're kidding me!?" He said shaking his head, "How did they know we'd be there?"

Hermione shrugged, "Does it matter?"

Draco looked surprised, "You're not mad?"

She smiled, and looked at her three children: Stella and Scorpius were both pulling faces at their younger brother making him laugh, "Did you ever think you'd have all this?" Hermione asked reaching over to link her fingers with his.

"A gorgeous wife and three beautiful children?" He smiled at her, "I always hoped I would have it."

"Well, a rumour started all this," Hermione smiled back at him, "What's one more?"

"A rumour, huh?" Draco laughed.

Hermione squeezed his hand, "The best rumour I've ever heard."

* * *

 **A/N: Since I'm new to the whole Fanfiction thing, I'm not sure what has happened..the last 15 or so reviews have disappeared from my feed. I just wanted to reassure you guys that I did NOT delete them, I would never do that. As I have said, I welcome all feedback and it is greatly appreciated. (Of course, if you can still see them, great. But I cannot.)**

 **Anyway, this story is drawing to a close...not much more to go now. As always, thanks for the feedback, it may help to put more words into my brain, and discover another story hiding in there :)**


	15. Chapter 15

**11 YEARS LATER**

"Are you ready for this Le?" Draco asked, squeezing his youngest son's shoulder

"Da-ad!" Leo groaned at him and rolled his eyes, "I'll be twelve in two weeks, I'm not a baby!" Much to Leo's annoyance, he'd had to wait an extra year before receiving his Hogwarts letter, his eleventh birthday being after the September 1st cut off date, and Draco had revelled in having him home an extra year.

"Don't worry Le, he was the same with me on my first day, actually he was probably worse." Sixteen year old Stella told him, "He thinks we're all still babies."

"He was like this with me too," Fourteen year old Scorpius said from behind them, "You'd think he'd be used to it by now."

Draco looked back over his shoulder at his wife, who was following behind with Stella and Scorpius, "We could have bought a dog. But no, you insisted that we have children."

"Why does everyone have to look at us all the time?" Leo said with a scowl. He was eyeing the crowd as they walked along the platform, the whispers and stares and the pointing were glaringly obvious.

Hermione and Draco shared a look. Their children were well aware of whom their parents were, they had grown up hearing the stories of the war and the roles their parents played, and they knew of the fame that came with those roles. While the once near constant media attention was almost now non-existent , the pointing and whispering in a crowd of witches and wizards such as this was never going to stop, and the three of them hated it.

"It's easier at school Le," Scorpius explained, "No one cares who Mum and Dad are."

"I'm insulted." Draco said with a mock grimace making Leo laugh, "Everyone should know the Malfoy name."

"What about the Granger name?" Stella asked with a smirk that resembled her fathers' on her face "That's way more important than Malfoy."

"That's my girl," Hermione said, hugging her arm around her daughters' shoulders.

"So, you're saying I should be Draco Granger?" Draco asked.

"Oh, that would have been perfect!" Hermione laughed, "Why didn't I think of that?"

"Because you were so besotted with me you couldn't think straight," Draco told her, and Stella laughed.

"Keep telling yourself that, Dad." She said between giggles, "In all the stories I've heard, it was the other way around."

"A dog," Draco muttered, feigning indignation, "A dog would have been easier."

"Ginny! Harry!" Hermione called, spotting them standing with James, Albus and Lily.

Harry and Ginny's eldest son James looked so much like Harry, he was often mistaken for him. And he looked set to follow in his Uncle Charlie's footsteps - his fascination with dragons had started at an early age. However, this summer when Charlie had offered to take him to South America for a month to hunt Peruvian Vipertooth Dragons, James, much to everyone's shock, had turned him down. Hermione smiled inwardly, knowing full well the reason why. It had been the subject of many a conversation between she, Ginny and Pansy for the past few months.

"Hey Hermione," Ginny said, "Stella, Scorp, how are you both? Are you ready Le?" They all hugged her, Leo telling her that Draco was still treating him like a baby. She laughed and looked at Draco, "Really? He _is_ almost twelve."

"See Dad!" Leo exclaimed, "Even Ginny agrees. I'm not a baby."

Draco threw his hands up in surrender, "You're right. You're almost twelve, and you're all grown up."

Leo beamed at him, "Can I put my stuff on the train?" he asked eagerly.

"You sure can," Draco said, "Come back and say good bye though."

Leo gave Draco a look that said _D'uh_ and turned to Lily, "Come on Lily," he said, encouraging Harry and Ginny's equally excited daughter to follow him. The four parents watched as their youngest children scampered off.

"Are you ready to learn to be an Auror, Scorp?" Harry asked.

Scorpius was very much like Draco, not only in looks but in personality as well. He was ruggedly determined to succeed at everything he did, and went about it in a quiet, studious manner, persevering until the task was complete. But unlike Draco at the same age, Scorpius had a heart of gold, and much like his mother, was gentle and kind and made sure everyone else was happy before even considering himself. He looked more and more like Draco as he got older, but the curls he inherited from his mother still reigned supreme. Hermione and Draco had put no pressure on any of their children, but with Scorpius' fascination with Harry's auror job, they were pretty confident where his future lay.

"I sure am!" he told him confidently, "And then maybe I can come and work for you next summer."

Harry laughed, "Maybe not next summer. You might need a few more years of school before you can come and help me."

Scorpius frowned at him, "Come on, Harry, you could train me early."

"Don't worry Scorp," Harry reassured her, "I already have a job saved for you when you're old enough."

"Well," Draco interrupted, "Since your father's stealing my son, are you ready to come and work for me Al?"

Albus had surprised everyone by excelling at potions, taking advanced classes throughout the last summer. And even though he was only fourteen, Draco saw his potential and had already offered him a job at his company, his contract all but drawn up.

Draco had finally taken the plunge and established his own potions company, taking Pansy and Neville Longbottom along with him. The three had worked tirelessly and had quickly become one of the most sought after Potion Makers around. Two years after they had started working, Christophe left The Ministry and came on board, he and Neville travelling the globe for the finest ingredients they could source. And Draco was constantly watching Albus and as his potions making abilities became advanced, Draco knew that even Severus would have been impressed.

Albus shrugged, faking nonchalance; he was excited at the prospect of working for Draco, "Well, that depends on how much you'll pay me."

Ginny snorted a laugh, "That's my boy."

Pansy and Ron arrived, their twins Sage and Hugo, had already embarked onto the train, waving at their Aunts and Uncles as they disappeared down the long corridor of the train.

"That's it?" Ginny said, "That's all we get, a wave?"

Pansy shrugged, "They're sixteen, and they don't need to be seen with us."

Draco made an insulted _hmph_ sound, "Do they not know how famous we all are? I mean everyone wants to be seen with us."

"Yeah, you'd think that," Ron laughed, "They just don't care."

"Hey!" Harry called, as Albus and Scorpius moved towards the train, whispering conspiratorially, "Are you two too old to say goodbye?"

"We were going to." Albus said.

"Going to what?" Ginny asked, "Wave from the train?"

Albus rolled his eyes, and walked back, flinging his arms around Ginny, "Bye mum, I'll miss you ever so much." He drawled sarcastically.

"That's better," Ginny laughed.

"Hey you two," Draco called as the two boys took off, "behave yourselves!"

Leo and Lily returned, chattering excitedly about the train, as if their parents had never set foot on it in their lives.

"Can we trust you to keep an eye out for your brother this year?" Draco asked.

"Of course I will!" Stella exclaimed then grinned, "But you know he'll be in Slytherin, so I won't be able to watch him all the time."

"Ah yes, the first Malfoy in Slytherin for how many years?" Harry teased.

It had come as no surprise that Stella had been placed in Gryffindor, following in her mother's footsteps. She was extremely smart and very talented, exactly like Hermione, with both parents immensely proud of her top marks in all five years she'd attended. The comparisons to Hermione at the same age had made Stella proud. She knew the stories and was pleased to be able to emulate her mother.

But when Scorpius had been placed in the same house, everyone, including some of the professors, had been stunned. They all thought he'd be Slytherin for sure. But Hermione knew that it was the quiet, sensitive side of him that had influenced the outcome, and she was sure that the Sorting Hat had known the same.

Leo, however, was what Hermione and Draco loving referred to as their _wild child;_ a loud bundle of energy, inquisitive and confident, the only time he was quiet was when he was asleep, or, like his mother, had his nose in a book. He had Hermione's dark brown eyes and Draco's blonde hair; a heartbreaker in the making. And the confidence with which he could manoeuvre a broomstick had Draco, Harry and Ron excitedly predicting that he would surely be a seeker in no time, and Draco's fingers were crossed that he would be Slytherin's seeker. emrione's

"Is this going to be the same us versus them conversion we've had every year since James, Stella and the twins started school?" Pansy asked shaking her head. The twins had been split into different houses, Sage into Slytherin and Hugo into Gryffindor. Pansy liked to joke that she'd planned it all along: one pregnancy; two children, one girl, one boy; and each child into their parents' school house.

"There's a lot of pride at stake here," Ron said, "Imagine all three Malfoy's in Gryffindor."

"Might I remind you, they are half Granger." Hermione pointed out.

Draco laughed and wrapped his arm around Leo's shoulders, "This one's not. He's all Malfoy. Slytherin for sure. And I'm pretty sure Lily will be joining him."

Ginny and Harry's daughter was a force to be reckoned with. The placid nature of both her brothers entirely skipped her and, like Leo (probably even more so), she was buzzing with energy and everything she did was at full speed. She was curious and inquisitive about the world around her and eager to learn, and like her Uncle's Fred and George at the same age, she was always up to mischief.

"Da-ad" Leo groaned, but they were all aware that the he hoped to follow his father's footsteps. As much as he mumbled and groaned about Draco's affections, Leo adored him.

Ginny laughed, "Stop embarrassing him Draco. For all you lot know the pair of them will end up in Hufflepuff."

Draco, Ron and Harry all screwed their noses up at her, "Geez Ginny, that's a bit harsh." Harry said.

"You ready Le?"Draco asked, and Leo glared at him. He dropped to one knee in front of his youngest son, "I know you're almost twelve and I know you're all grown up, but you're the last one to leave and I'll miss you."

"And I'll miss you too Dad," Leo smiled at him and wrapped his arms around his neck, "But not as much as I'll miss Mum."

Draco looked insulted and pulled his son into a playful headlock, "Take that back!"

"No!" Leo laughed and Draco rubbed his knuckles along the top of his head, "Stop Dad, stop! Okay, I'll miss you more."

"That's better," Draco told him, hugging him tightly, "Have fun."

"I will dad," Leo said and then reached for Hermione, "Bye mum, I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too sweetheart," Hermione hugged him and kissed the top of his head.

"Mum?" Leo looked anxious, the first sign of any nerves about leaving.

He pulled Hermione into another hug, and he whispered in her ear, "Look after dad, okay."

Hermione squeezed her youngest son tightly, "I promise," She kissed him once more and smiled at him, "Off you go."

Draco watched as his son ran off without a backward glance, "Stella, you will watch out for him, right?"

Stella didn't answer. She and James had stepped slightly away from the group and were talking quietly together. Hermione and Ginny shared a knowing look. Their two eldest children had tried to be inconspicuous, but neither mother had missed just how close they were standing together. They both had suspected something had begun between their two eldest children during the previous Christmas break; they had spent an extraordinary amount of time together, both then and over the recent summer holidays. Their suspicions were virtually confirmed when James gave up the chance to go South America.

"Stella! Are you listening to me?" Draco said loudly.

Stella's face flushed, "Sorry Dad, what?"

Hermione and Ginny laughed, "Clearly she's not listening to you Draco. She's somewhat distracted." Draco frowned, "Your daughter and Harry's son have become more than just friends." Hermione explained.

Draco looked at Harry, "Did you know about this?" he asked and then looked to his daughter and James.

"Not a thing." Harry replied, looking equally as confused as Draco, "When did this start?"

"I believe at Christmas last year," Ginny said.

"Sounds about right," Hermione nodded her head in agreement.

Stella and James both looked at their mothers, both their faces flushing pink, "You knew?" Stella asked, "But how?"

"Mothers always know, it's our job," Hermione told her, "Fathers, however, are a little slower at catching on."

"You're not cross that we didn't tell you?" Stella asked.

"Of course not!" Ginny exclaimed looping her arm over Stella's shoulders and hugging her, "Why would you think that?"

James shrugged, "Draco's been warning me off his daughter since I was three years old. I've been slightly concerned."

"Clearly you take after your father," Draco said with a smirk, "He's been ignoring me since we were children. I shouldn't have expected anything less from you."

"I'm just glad Stella doesn't take after Hermione," James said mirroring Draco's smirk, "I hear she has a pretty mean right hook."

"I don't recommend ever pissing off the Granger women son," Harry mused, "I was there that day. It was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

"Beautiful is not how I remember it." Draco rubbed his chin, "Do I have to pull the angry dad act and tell you to take care of my daughter?"

"No sir, you do not," James replied and nodded towards Hermione, "Hermione might have to, but not you."

Hermione laughed, "Well then, you best take care of my daughter, as I'm sure you will."

"Oh, don't let him off that easy Hermione," Harry chimed in, "Set him straight."

"No time," Hermione said, "You both need to get on the train or it will leave without you, and then you'll have to borrow your grandfather's car to get there."

Harry and Ron both laughed. Arthur, much to Molly's chagrin, had replaced the car that the pair had crashed landed, insisting that is was only for use in case of emergencies. But it had been taken out more than once when no emergencies had been involved, "Highly recommended," Ron said, "Scary as hell, but the best fun you'll ever have."

Stella looked at Draco, "You're not cross we didn't tell you?"

"No Stella, I'm not cross," Draco reassured her and kissed her forehead, "If you're happy, I'm happy."

"Thanks dad," Sophia hugged him.

"James Potter, you take care of my baby," he said, "But just so you know, if you hurt her, they'll never find your body."

James laughed, "Sure Draco, no worries."

"I don't think he thinks you're serious," Harry noted.

"He's a Potter, he takes nothing seriously." Draco said making Harry laugh.

All four parents watched as their two eldest children walked hand in hand to the train. James said something quietly to her, making her smile, then kissed her. Hermione squeezed Draco's hand, knowing exactly what they were witnessing. Their daughter was falling in love, it was written all over her face.

"I hope this lasts," Harry said, "Otherwise it's going to be very awkward."

"I don't think we have to worry," Draco said, "I'm pretty sure we'll be in-laws in a few years."

Hermione looked at him and smiled, "I think you're right. She has that look."

"Is that the same look my son has on his face?" Ginny asked.

"The exact same one." Hermione said.

* * *

"So, do the dads finally know?" Blaise asked as he seated himself next to Graham at the table the group had commandeered at their cafe. Harry had insisted that since there were no children in tow, they should all enjoy the fact instead of wallowing in misery at empty houses, and they had all headed to the Cafe as soon as the train pulled out of the station.

"They do," Harry and Draco said in unison.

"And how is it that you were aware, and I wasn't." Draco asked.

"Because it's us," Blaise said haughtily wrapping his arm around Graham's shoulders, "Your daughter has been in love with us since she was born. She tells her Uncle Blaise and her Uncle Graham everything." It was true. Stella had been besotted with her _Uncles_ since she'd been born, and the two men completely adored her. The three of them were as thick as thieves, sharing secrets and constantly whispering and giggling together, and Blaise and Graham considered Stella to be the daughter they never had.

"Let's just hope she's not like her mother." Pansy said with a smirk.

"And why would that be a bad thing?" Draco asked, insulted on Hermione's behalf, but Hermione was already laughing.

"Well, she might just take on her mother's role and teach that boy a thing or two." Pansy explained her eyebrow arched, not believing that Draco was that naive.

"What do you -?" All of the colour drained from Draco's face, as the entire table erupted into laughter.

"Did you want me to get Dad's car?" Ron sniggered, "You can have her back here in no time."

"I might just take you up on that," Draco said and then narrowed his eyes at Harry, "After all these years Potter; you're still trying to make my life hell."

Harry made a grandiose gesture of covering his heart with his hand, "Malfoy, from the moment I met you, it has been my main aim to spend my life pissing you off, and if my son can carry on the tradition, I will be extremely proud."

Draco shook his head and looked at Hermione who was trying her hardest to look sympathetic, but was failing miserably, "Why are you laughing?" Draco asked her, "This is your daughter as well."

"Because that's exactly it, she's my daughter and I trust her to use her own judgement," Hermione squeezed his thigh, "I'm sure it will be fine, and just remember, they don't have the luxury we had."

"Luxury? What?" Draco was frowning.

"You two had your own dorm room," Ginny reminded him, "Our two still have to share with everyone else. So I'm sure there'll be no New Years shenanigans happening."

"I don't know," Blaise pondered, "There's always that alcove near the dungeons..."

"Oh, yeah," Harry said almost wistfully, "I'd forgotten about that."

Ginny almost choked on her tea, "Forgot about it? Some of our finest moments were had in that alcove."

The table erupted with laughter again. Harry kissed Ginny's cheek and grinned, "We've had some finer moments since,"

Hermione laughed, "And here I was thinking that it was Draco and I that were the sappy ones," She turned to Draco, "Stella will be fine, she's smart and responsible," She reassured him.

"Ah, yes, but then, so were you." Pansy said with a wink, "You were the most responsible student at school, and look how that turned out."

Hermione grinned at her and then reached over to Draco, running her finger tips along the nape of his neck, "I'd say it turned out perfectly."

"And the sappy award goes to..." Ginny trailed off and Hermione laughed.

"So, how long have you all known?" Draco asked.

"Stella and James?" Hermione glanced at Ginny and Pansy, "A while. Something was going on when they came home for Christmas last year and we hardly saw either of them at all this summer. Ginny, Pansy and I all noticed the change in them. Blaise has apparently known for the longest."

"And you didn't think to tell us?" Harry asked.

"They had to tell us when they were ready. Clearly that meant the last possible minute," Ginny told them, "And we didn't know for sure, we just had our suspicions."

"It's been going on for months? How the hell did we miss it?" Draco was looking at Harry.

"Well, they were at school for most of the year," Hermione laughed and then cupped Draco's jaw, "And you're her dad. You don't want to see things like that."

"Yeah, you're right." He said.

"What do you think their grandmothers will say?" Pansy asked.

"Oh, Merlin!" Draco laughed, "It will be unbearable. I'm sure they'll have them married before they've finished school."

* * *

Hermione found Draco later that evening in the hallway upstairs, staring at the baby photos of their children on the wall and she smiled. She watched as he took in their children, a smile on his own face and she felt a wave of her own sentimentality wash over her. She knew every inch of this man. The man who tormented her as a child, the man who went to war and came back changed, the man who fell in love with her and made her fall in love with him, the man who still looked at her as if he couldn't believe she was his. She watched him become a father, not once, but three times and watched as he fell in love with each of their children. And she watched herself fall more in love with him each and every day they were together.

And here he was now, smiling at the life he never thought he'd have. She stepped up behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist, "Hey, are you being all nostalgic?" she teased.

Draco laughed and ran his hand across her forearm, "Look at them. How'd we get so lucky?"

"Well, we're pretty awesome, so we were bound to make awesome children." Hermione said.

"Yes, this is true," Draco agreed, "Seriously though. We did a good job, right?"

Hermione stepped in front of him and kissed his cheek, "Of course we did. They'll be fine, you know that."

"I know. It's just hard to believe that they're all grown up."

Hermione laughed, "Well, not all grown up. Leo is only eleven."

"Almost twelve," Draco corrected her.

"Sorry, almost twelve," She laughed and held up her hand in a mock gesture of apology, "Wait here, I have something for you."

"The last time you said that I learned I was going to be a father." Draco said giving her a wide eyed glare.

"Yeah, it's _not_ that." Hermione chuckled.

She returned several minutes later, and leaned on the doorway that led to their bedroom, "I thought it was time to upgrade." She was wearing a Slytherin Quidditch t-shirt, a new one, and nothing else.

Draco grinned at her, "Nice," He said, "But I'm sure there's nothing wrong with the old one."

Hermione laughed, "It's got more holes in it than Swiss cheese."

"Ah, but the sentimental value is priceless."

She shrugged a shoulder at him, "Well, if you're not interested in tearing this one off me..." she turned on her heel and headed back into their bedroom. She paused and looked back over her shoulder, a mischievous glint in her eyes and she ran her hand through her hair, "It's too bad really, we wouldn't have had to use a silencing charm. I mean, there are no children in the house."

He watched her retreating back and grinned. He looked back at the pictures of his children. He was sure his eleven year old self would never have believed this was where he would be all these years later. Hermione Granger; his wife. Stella, Scorpius and Leo; his three children.

The list of thousand little things he loved about Hermione had grown into a list of millions; the quiet moments as she had nurtured their children; the way she watched him in their most intimate moments; the quick kiss goodbye as they left for work each morning, the way she would wrap her arms around him as he cooked, the way they lounged on the couch together as they read. The way their children groaned at the pair of them, telling them they were far too old to be making kissy faces at each other and besides being old, it was gross.

Yes, he was sure that the younger version of himself would be completely stunned.

He stopped in the doorway and found Hermione grinning at him from the middle of their bed, her fingers toying with the hem of her t-shirt, "There are rules regarding the wearing of Slytherin t-shirts." He told her.

"Oh," she said, "And what rules would they be?"

Draco smirked and pulled his own t-shirt over his head, "Let me show you," he said and kicked the door shut.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **And there it is. Thanks to everyone for reading my story. I have thoroughly enjoyed writing it, and am completely overwhelmed and grateful for the amazing feedback from you all. I am still astounded that the short story that popped into my head that was Chapter 1 turned into 15 Chapters, and I would have been pleased if only 1 person read it and liked it. But the extraordinary number who have, has left me speechless but has also encouraged me to attempt to continue.**

 **There's another story building already, so hopefully it will be up and running soon.**

 **Many thanks,**

 **MP**


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